


Bound to You

by topmarkuniverse



Category: GOT7
Genre: Alpha Jaebum, Alpha Mark, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Angst, Blood Lust, Bonding, Knotting, M/M, Marriage, Omega Jackson, Omega Jinyoung, Pack Bonding, Pack Dynamics, Romance, Smut, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2019-05-25 12:44:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 11
Words: 90,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14977427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/topmarkuniverse/pseuds/topmarkuniverse
Summary: A blood draw matches Mark and Jackson as mates. Mark doesn't want Jackson but he needs him. Jackson goes all out when he loves but would he love when he finds out the truth? The truth is they are bonded to each other for life.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PrincessWang](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessWang/gifts).



> If you have any questions just ask me in the comments. I have kept this original but some elements of the A/B/O dynamics are the same. Non-con warning just put here for safety. May or may not apply to this chapter. May be useful for the future ones. Please check tags before proceeding. I don't like to use family names or parents but I had no choice. This is going to be a very long story so please brace yourselves. Thank you for taking your time out.
> 
> Gifted this to a friend who loves Top Mark just as much as I do.
> 
> <3

The woods looked calm yet tantalizingly alive. Moonlight filtered through the trees, a bluish-silver sheen setting the forest into a magical state. It felt like a dream. Jackson made his way deeper into the forest, unafraid of the darkness or the silence. The cicadas made music enough as he walked slowly but surely into a direction he knew. He cursed his choice of shoes though, they were in no way suitable for a night hike into the woods. He trudged carefully because it was slippery due to moisture. It must have definitely rained a few hours ago, he thought.

He heard leaves ruffle behind him so he turned abruptly, however, there was nobody there. Breathing a sigh of relief, he walked further. He didn’t know why he was there but he just knew he had to go ahead. He had a strange feeling that he was being followed so he kept on looking over his shoulder but he never saw anyone.

It started getting chillier, breeze hitting his face violently now and then. But again, it didn’t bother him one bit. He was used to it, the chill, the forest, the mysterious dark silence and the lingering feeling of being followed. Today, he was going to definitely find out who was following him. It felt like he was here every day for a reason he didn’t know and would go back disappointed. It felt different today as he reached the familiar stream of water that was swamped by man-sized bushes on both sides. He sat down on a rock near it, throwing tiny stones into the water as he rested. There was something about the stream that intrigued him every time he came here. It was so peaceful that it almost felt unreal. The water wasn’t clogged but it didn’t flow fast either. It was just there, slow but steady in its movement, much like the feeling of being followed in his heart. He again turned back out of the blue to catch his chaser red-handed but clicked his tongue when he found no one.

After a while, he got up and started to move towards the meadow full of night blooming jasmines because it brought him so much peace and happiness. He laid down like every night, to look at the stars through the small opening between the thick trees. Jasmines bloomed in the moonlight and their fragrance put him in a poetic trance. The stars were extremely bright today, twinkling merrily as if gauging his happy mood. Just when he smiled at the thought, his heart was hit by a yearning so strong that he felt tears drop from his eyes. Appalled at himself, he quickly got up and rubbed his eyes. He felt his heart beat quicken, his breath came out uneven and his chest constricted. He gripped it and coughed, a fresh bout of tears flowing through his eyes. He felt like he was in pain but he also felt at ease.

He heard twigs snapping under pressure, the noise getting him out of his discomfort. When he turned back, he felt his body heat up uncontrollably and his heart started beating like he was running a marathon. From between the thick green bushes, two shining orbs stared at him. When he met them, he felt like time had stopped. Then they turned red, red like blood lit by fire, like an erupting volcano ready to encompass him in a glance. His body heated up further like a furnace as if drawing heat from those red eyes. He heard some ruffling and saw a magnificent, tall, brown wolf come out in the open. He was as tall as a car, his muzzle was so big and strong that Jackson slightly moved in his spot. His fur shined against the moonlight. It was thick but looked soft and moved to the tune of the wind. Suddenly, Jackson could smell nothing but jasmines with a hint of dark chocolate? Perhaps hot cocoa? It was so unique, it was a fragrance that had never hit his nose before but it made his hair stand on end. The wolf growled and took a step towards him and Jackson felt his limbs weaken. He looked so majestic, even bigger than a lion. His forefeet were strong and his paws were big, nails sharp enough to cause serious damage, ears perked up as if to listen to Jackson speak, and his teeth were slightly bared. But what made Jackson absolutely forget everything was his tail. It was raised into the air, pointing to the stars, to show dominance as he stared at him, his red eyes shining brightly but unthreateningly.

In that moment Jackson realized that he had been sought by his Alpha, a big beautiful brown Alpha who had chased the wolf in him every day for the last one week. The Alpha blood had zeroed in on him, rewarding him just when he thought he was going mad. A nervous sweat broke on his forehead as he saw the wolf bare his teeth fully and howl into the night. He woke up with a yelp and seemingly slick filled pants. Apparently, his Alpha had him wet even through a dream. Deeply embarrassed and shy, he got up. It was 3 in the morning, the clock ticked slowly as reality hit him. His Alpha had found him.

 

 

* * *

“Are you absolutely sure?” his mother asked him again after he told her about his dream and that he felt restless.

“Yes. I am. I saw him. Can’t you just ask dad to go check? I know it’s just been a week but what can I say, I guess I am lucky?”

The draw never got a match this fast. It always took months or even a year for a match to come along. For Jackson it had been almost a year but he had seen his mate just in a week’s time! He felt butterflies in his stomach thinking about how his mate looked. He didn’t want to get his hopes up but his mate’s wolf form was absolutely intimidating and beautiful. What if he was a beautiful human as well? He giggled into his mother’s arms and she just hugged him warmly.

“Okay. I guess there’s no harm in confirming. Although, if you are saying that you have been having these dreams for a week, then your mate must have had them as well. Let’s hope your match is a good one.”

“It is, mom, I can feel it.”

 

It was a little over six but his dad still wasn’t home. He felt even more restless. The man hadn’t even answered any of his calls. Why was he being mean?

“Why wouldn’t he come home already? I want to know if I do have a match, mom. He didn’t even answer my calls.” Jackson couldn’t help but whine. He whined even more when he saw his mother chuckle. “You were so lucky that dad came and found you. You didn’t have to wait around for a draw.” He pouted.

“Well, at the time, there weren’t male omegas. It was all so much easier back then.”

Over the years, conflict between packs had risen to the extent that entire packs were wiped out in revenge. The first targets were young pups and female omegas. Then the wolf blood had evolved. Male wolves also started presenting as omegas. Female omegas were a rarity, most of them killed in war or presenting as betas who couldn’t bear pups. It was a full blown mess. Old wolves always feared this would happen. Legends had it that if the wolves did not remain in harmony, the power would shift, succession would spiral down until things went back to normal. Alphas would not definitely bear pups who were alphas, male omegas had heats and a male alpha could claim a male omega. His grandfather had told him that the blood was seeking control over the spread of the wolf population. It wanted them to value life over conflicts. It wanted them to form packs out of family blood and unite as one.

Wolf bonding had suddenly become difficult. To combat the problematic situation, the families with highest number of true alphas came to an agreement. Once a year, every single male alpha between the age of 25-30 could put his blood along with his family's into a draw and if he was matched with an omega more than 20 years old then they had to marry. The alpha was supposed to claim the omega, male or female without an option. It was a blood draw so the alpha had to put his blood along with his family’s into it and the blood sought a suitable mate.

Wolf blood was magical, it allowed a wolf to live two lives, have two different conscious. It enabled shape-shifting at will, it gave the ability to use wolf strength to protect people of their kind. It got more potent and powerful over generations, evolving with time and space.

The union draw was actually a bowl created from the bones of old alpha and beta wolves who had died protecting their packs. Even their bones had been loyal to the blood which wanted the wolves to grow and survive the sands of time. Only twenty true alpha families with their branch families from the original sixty had survived the war of packs that had been by far the most brutal one in their world. It left the other alpha less families grappling to survive. The blood had then evolved, little male pups who had survived started presenting as betas and omegas. Un-bonded female omegas were not enough to bond with all the eligible alphas thus creating another reason for a fight to death for the remaining alphas. This situation had gone on for until the elders decided that male alphas could bond with male omegas in order to not lose their alpha powers. The very first male alpha-male omega union had happened 30 years ago and to be fair to all the alphas, the draw had been created. The elders called it divine intervention but Jackson knew that it was just brilliant problem solving.

The bowl had the power of matching deserving alphas and omegas and used the blood put into it to strengthen the bond between the families it chose. Beta wolves were free to choose a pack they wanted to join and led the most normal wolf life as they could mate with other beta wolves of their choice, although their number had tremendously decreased after the war.

The draw was a pretty well functioning system. Most marriages that happened through it were successful but a few rebellious omegas did not participate in the draw, mating with betas or enticing already mated or single alphas. Such omegas did not survive for long as strong and mated omegas hunted them down and killed them. The system was reviving, adjusting quite to the change happening around it. 

Some matches resulted in the chosen couples to break their bonds due to differences or cheating. Bond breaking was an extremely painful process resulting in both the alpha and omega losing a lot of their power and sometimes even the death of the omega. It was taboo to talk about bond breaking because it meant defying the match the true, righteous wolves had created.

That left Jackson believing that the wolves had chosen for him the best mate he could ever dream of and he couldn’t wait to know more about him. If only his father could come home soon and spill the beans!

“It’s seven. Where is he?” he whined yet again and his mother shook her head exasperated by his antics. He was dying to tell Jinyoung about the whole thing but he knew he couldn’t tell him until it was confirmed. They had both put their blood in the bowl at the same time after they had presented. Mostly the coupled wolves dreamed about each other or literally had visions of their mates. Either one of them saw their human form making it easy to know who they had to bond with. Jackson had seen his mate’s wolf form so that meant his mate must have seen his human form. There was sweet logic behind this too. The union was not only between wolves but also their human counterparts and the blood valued both.

**

Every omega’s and Alpha’s detailed information was presented to WolHarmony, the organization that maintained the draw. So, once one of the two had any kind of visions or dreams, they quickly contacted the organization, gave a description, matched the wolf elements and their scents and found their mates.

Jackson’s description of his dream had pointed to a golden/brown wolf, water element and a jasmine and cocoa scent. It was by far the easiest one to find for the person sitting behind the counter. He chuckled.

“Wow, your son is lucky. The Ims and the Tuans are the only families with the water element. He matched with the eldest son of the Tuans. His scent is jasmine and cocoa with a hint of musk and black orchid. Congratulations are in order, Mr Wang. Your son has matched with the most powerful Alpha from the Tuan family. His name is Mark Tuan. Here are their details.”

Mr Wang’s eyebrows shot up. He had not expected Jackson to match with such a powerful Alpha from such a powerful family that too just a year after presenting. His boy was only 23 and now he was going to get married. He secretly wished that Jackson had presented as an Alpha like himself but he quickly felt bad about thinking like that.

“Thank you. Is it okay for me to contact them first? Have they already visited and enquired?” The man clicked some buttons and looked at him again.

“No, they haven’t. You can contact the elders of his family without any issues. I am sure they will be thrilled to get in touch with you. I can only imagine how powerful this Alpha will become after he mates with your son.”

Mr Wang closed his eyes and willed his heart to not think about it. He cleared his throat out of embarrassment and the man on the counter bowed in apology. Mr Wang looked at the picture of the Alpha and his family and prayed to the old wolves that it was good.

“Oh Mr Wang…just so you know…” the man cleared his throat before leaning in and whispering to him. “This Alpha is really ferocious and huge. He is the largest from his family. They have very potent Alpha blood running through their veins. I heard their wounds heal within seconds and they have super human qualities as well. Both their wolves and their human counter-parts are extremely gifted. I have seen omegas praying to the bowl to match them with this Alpha. Also, he has put his blood into the bowl three times till now. This is how long it took for him to find his ideal match! I am guessing your son is special too?”

Mr Wang laughed embarrassedly because all the information he was hearing was making him feel dizzy. “Well…he just presented last year. He hasn’t shown any special abilities yet. I hope he does soon. He is a well-trained omega, though. We weren’t expecting he would match so fast.” he confessed.

“Well…in the bowl we must trust. This is a match made in our wolf heaven. Let us hope it lasts forever.”

 

* * *

Mr Wang had put his phone on silent before walking into WolHarmony so when he looked at his phone after coming out, the missed calls freaked him out.

“Hello? Is everything okay?” he was worried and it spilled out of his voice. His wife explained how Jackson was too excited to know if he had actually matched or if he was just being a desperate little omega. It made him laugh.

“He matched. I am coming home. I have to call the family first. Do you think it’s okay if I call them right now? Or do you want me to do it when I get home?”

“Really? Who is it? Do it right now. Jackson is already on tenterhooks. He will go crazy if you call in front of him. Anyway, you are going to talk to the Alpha’s father, right? I don’t know how my presence will be important.”

“I will tell you once I get home. I am too excited to tell you everything on the phone. Also, I would still like it if you were by my side when I spoke to the family, love.” He smiled because he was still smooth as fuck.

“I see. Come on home then.”

Satisfied, he hung up and headed home. He had a wedding to plan.

 

* * *

“Was that dad? What did he say?” Jackson burst into the kitchen when he saw his mother hang up the phone.

“Uh nothing. He was just worried seeing so many missed calls.”

“That’s it? He didn’t go and check?” his face fell immediately.

“He did.” That made him look up hopefully, his eyes going big comically.

“And?”

His mother stared at him for a moment too long before she nodded slowly. Jackson yelled out of happiness. His eyes overflowed with tears instantly and in that moment Mrs Wang knew that she had to let her son go. Her eyes moistened too and she spread her arms to hug him.

“Who is it? Do we know them?”

“He didn’t say. He said he would tell us everything after getting home.” She hugged him closer and smelled his hair. To her, he still smelled like a baby. He hugged her back hard.

“Should I tell Jinyoung? Should I just call him over?”

“I guess. Will someone escort him here? It’s getting late. We don’t want his parents thinking we risk his safety.” She rocked him in her arms like she used to when he was a baby and he hummed in happiness.

“Yes. His cousin will. Ma?” he looked up at her with doe eyes and she felt fresh tears flow through her eyes. She raised her eyebrows in question.

“Will he be a good person? Will he love me?”

“Of course. You will be the centre of his universe. He will love you more than anybody else. And anyway, you are so lovable. Everyone will love you.” She smiled when she saw him smile. It was always so easy to please Jackson.

Jackson had shifted out of happiness and his boisterous, loud brown self was jumping around the house like an idiot when he heard his father’s car come into the estate. He rushed to his room to shift back and put on some clothes and came clambering down the stairs like an excited puppy.

 _“Feifei, we finally get to know who our Alpha is. Are you excited?”_ he asked his wolf excitedly as he waited with bated breath for his father to come in.

_“Isn’t that why I took over?”_

_“Oh so snippy this wolf is. Why are you so mean to me?”_

_“Because you are a dumbass.”_

_“You are literally calling yourself a dumbass, Fei.”_

_“You know that’s not true. Now shoo, let me prepare myself. I can’t bring myself to calm down.”_

_“Ah. I see Mr Desperate. Look who’s so desperate now. Feifei is a despo, Feifei is a despo.”_

_“I will claw you if you keep going.”_ It effectively shut Jackson up and he eased the link.

“Daddy, why wouldn’t you answer my calls? Am I a burden to you suddenly?” he whined and his father just ruffled his hair affectionately.

“Stupid boy. I was at WolHarmony when you called, doing something you were going on and on about this morning. Learn some patience.”

“So, mom said I matched?”

His father nodded happily, his smile so blinding that Jackson felt warm. The moment every omega desperately waited for had arrived for Jackson. He hugged his father tight before sitting between his parents excitedly. Just then Jinyoung arrived and literally jumped on him. They both laughed before the seriousness of the situation took over them. Jackson still was effectively side hugging him when his father got out the details of the Alpha and his family.

“So, you matched with the eldest son of the Tuan family. He is the strongest Alpha from his family till date, the biggest wolf. He found you after three years, Jackson.”

Jackson looked at the picture of his Alpha surrounded by his family and their crest which was an image of a blue wolf walking over water with blue flames emanating from its body. He felt his body heat up again. His cheeks gained colour and his mouth hung open in surprise. His Alpha was as good looking in his human form as in his wolf form. His heart thumped loudly in his chest.

“Are you sure, daddy? Is this him? This Alpha sought me?” his voice was high pitched and his eyes were as big as saucers. His father nodded and he still couldn’t believe it. The man in the picture was tall, had brown hair and piercing eyes but he wasn’t smiling. He stared right into the camera neutrally but he was too imposing to not look good. Jackson felt his throat go dry. His mate looked intimidating and…cold? He had learned to never judge people based on their looks so he just brushed it away. He cleared his throat and looked at Jinyoung.

“What do you think?” he whispered.

“I think you are going to be a damn lucky omega to be in a family like this one. Congratulations you,” he tickled him and they broke into childish laughter which made his parents smile warmly.

“Did they already come looking for me?”

His father shook his head and he felt slightly disappointed. So, his Alpha didn’t have any visions or dreams yet? Or he did but still didn’t come to find him? What was it?

“I am going to call his father and set up a meeting. I need you to be on your best behaviour. Can you revise all omega customs? Both of you, go do that.” He ushered him and Jinyoung towards Jackson’s room.

“Wait, you are calling him now? I want to stay. I want to know-”

“I will tell you everything. Now go. I won’t be able to talk freely if you are going to be here staring at me with your big eyes. Go now,” he pushed Jackson who had to relent with a pout.

* * *

 

“They are really rich. How are we going to-” before she finished the sentence, Mr Wang patted her shoulder.

“I will talk to them. I am sure they will be reasonable.” He suddenly felt unsure about it since customs dictated the Alpha family were to be showered with gifts to show appreciation for their promise to protect the omega. Nervously, he dialled the number given on the paper and waited for someone to answer.

“Hello. This is Ricky Wang, am I speaking to Mr Raymond Tuan?”

“Yes, that’s me. How can I help you?”

“Mr Tuan, my son has matched with yours. I got your details through WolHarmony. I hope this isn’t a bad time.”

“Our Mark matched?” the man’s voice went an octave higher and Mr Wang looked at his wife, confused.

“Yes. Your family is of the water element and your son’s scent is that of jasmines and cocoa with a hint of black orchid and musk, right?”

“Yes. Oh my God, this is such a good news. I am really so happy about this.” He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

“Mr Wang, I would like to invite your entire family to dinner tomorrow. Would that be okay? If you think it is alright, please bring your son too. I assure you, we will only follow the customs. What is his name? I will be leaving for WolHarmony immediately to collect your details,” he spoke fast, almost breathless, too elated. Mr Wang could sense it and smiled in relief.

“Sure. We will be glad to come. My son’s name is Jackson. He is 23 years old. He presented last year. You will find everything else in the file. Did your son not inform you?” he asked apprehensively because in most cases, the Alphas were too eager to meet their omegas when they had any visions or dreams.

“Umm, no. But that may be because he has been too busy with work. He takes care of my business now. He has been out of the country since more than a week, he will return tomorrow afternoon. I will call him up to confirm. Thank you, Mr Wang. I believe you have our address? We will be expecting you at 6 tomorrow evening. Congratulations are in order,” he laughed and Mr Wang laughed too.

“Umm…do you want to me bring anything?”

“Please, just bring your family. See you then. I am going to hang up.” Mr Wang affirmed and hung up too.

“He seems polite, said his son was out of country and that’s why they didn’t know he matched. Makes sense.”

* * *

 

“Sseunie, you do know what it means when your dad told you that he was the biggest wolf from his family, right?”

Jackson’s face gained colour and a hit landed directly on Jinyoung’s chest.

“Don’t be a brat.” He growled. Jinyoung chuckled breathlessly. They both were nestled in Jackson’s bed, as they always would be, their wolves taking solace in each other’s company.

“No seriously. I just hope he doesn’t break you. Three years he has waited…imagine his-”

“Park Jinyoung, you are a Satan incarnate, aren’t you?”

“Why? I am an advocate of truth. I only say what is true.” His snicker was so cute that Jackson didn’t mind him. “Tell me how the Alpha looked in your dream.”

Jackson recollected his dream to Jinyoung, almost as dramatically as he had seen it and felt his body heat rising again. The restlessness was getting worse with every passing minute. He just wanted to smell his Alpha’s scent, be in his arms and bare his neck for his bite. It was like instinct for him, his body ached for it to happen.

“You are suffocating me with your scent, God. Stop being a horny little omega,” he snickered and got hit some more. There was a knock on the door and Jackson hurried to open it. His parents were standing outside, looking pleased as well as excited.

The moment Jackson knew he was going to meet his Alpha the next day, he blushed furiously, looking at Jinyoung and smiling shyly.

“Jinyoung-ah, help him with everything tomorrow. Clothes and everything, yeah? He won’t be wearing his own when we return anyway.” Mrs Wang smiled warmly and hugged Jackson.

“My Fie is going to be someone’s omega. Aww…” Jackson growled and everyone chuckled. His wolf hated the pet name.

**

Jackson couldn’t sleep well all night. The excitement was getting to him. His wolf was also too excited making it even more difficult for him to sleep.

_“Will he like me?”_

“ _It’s weird for me to accept it but I guess you are not that bad, Ga.”_

_“Really? You think he will like me?”_

_“Yeah. But what’s more important here is that, he will like me.”_

_“Ugh, you stupid wolf. What makes you think he will like you?”_

_“Because I am smart and really amazing.”_

_“Yuk.”_

_“Shut it and go to sleep or you are going to have bags under your eyes and give me a bad impression.”_

_“Ugh, selfish Fie.”_

 

* * *

After little to no sleep, Jackson was up early in the morning, surprising his parents. He was never up before 8, they had pampered him because he was their only son. Today, he was bathed and cleaned at 7 and came down to help his mother with breakfast. Though he couldn’t eat much, nor look at food for long, he took comfort in knowing that his wolf was calm and pretty much dozing off because he had been up all night as well. His body felt numb due to lack of sleep and sometime around noon, he snoozed on the couch.

It wasn’t until someone tickled the hell out of him and made him fall off the couch did he wake up, all cranky and irritated.

“It’s 4 and your ass is still sleeping. Oh God, get up and head to the shower right now!” Jinyoung yelled and he scrambled up to his room without a complaint. He was wide awake because damn, in two hours he was going to meet his Alpha.

Bath fresh and happy, he towelled his hair dry in front of the mirror. He put on a face mask because Jinyoung insisted his skin was supposed to ‘shine’ today. He just slapped it on his face and sighed. His stomach was flipping with nervousness and Jinyoung was fussing over him non-stop.

“Can you be quiet for a minute?” he snapped and Jinyoung found it difficult to take him seriously when he was wearing a face mask. He giggled.

“Oh, I will shut up while you internally freak out. I can hear your wolf fidget. He will claw you if you do not get ready fast.”

After getting himself together even with his breath caught in his throat, Jackson got ready. Jinyoung had chosen a pristine white shirt for him and navy blue fitting trouser pants that ended on his ankles. He had parted his hair so that his fringes would delicately rest on his forehead, fixing it with hair spray. His shirt was buttoned up till his neck, not exposing a sliver of skin so he unbuttoned it, showing a little of his collar bone.

“Hey that’s not right…I can’t-”

“It’s 2018, we can do with one open button, little omega. I am sure they won’t mind.”

He put a delicate silver chain in his neck that shined against his golden skin. He rolled up his shirt sleeves till his elbow and Jackson again protested.

“I am not going for a date Jinyoung-ah!” Jinyoung shushed him and asked him to look into the mirror. He really looked good, very good. His wolf growled at him in approval and that said a lot.

“So, where do you want it?” Jinyoung’s chin was on his shoulder as they both looked at their reflections in the mirror.

“Well…I was thinking here…” Jackson showed him the back of his wrist and lightly touched his pulse. “Ideally I should just have it on my bicep so it’s visible but eh, I guess they won’t mind it here? As you said, 2018,” Jackson smiled softly.

“What are you going to say to him?” the question made Jackson wrap his hand around his tightly. He breathed heavily and shook his head because he really didn’t know what he was going to say.

* * *

The Tuan Estate was on the other end of the town, away from the hustle and bustle and the concrete, urban energy of Jackson’s neighbourhood. It was already an elite area of Howlers Bay, being closest to the hilly, dense forest connecting the ocean.

Jackson fidgeted nervously as they neared their destination. It was a gated estate built royally enough to intimidate at first sight. The big gate was closed and Mr Wang had to get down and speak to security before they were let in. The Tuans were a big deal indeed. Every family knew them, they were one of the 20 surviving true alpha families. True alpha families meant every male born in their family was an alpha.

As the mansion showed, Jackson felt restless and breathless. Mrs Wang started patting his shoulder to calm him down.

“What if he hates me? What if all of them hate me?” he blurted when the car came to a stop in front of the porch.

“Don’t be silly. They will love you. Their blood chose you. Don’t underestimate the power of the old wolves.” He was berated by his father and a pout made its way on his face. His mother soothed it by pinching his cheek.

“My baby, come on. Don’t be nervous, we are here with you.” They quickly started unloading the many gifts they had bought for the family and Jackson got down to help.

“Mr Wang,” a man called softly and Mr Wang turned. A tout man with grey hair but an undeniable Alpha air about him greeted them. “I am Raymond. Nice to meet you,” they shook hands and then bowed. He then bowed politely to Mrs Wang and she smiled.

“Oh, I did tell you to only bring your family, Mr Wang-”

“Please call me Ricky,” Jackson’s father urged and the man nodded. He then looked at Jackson and smiled. The boy bowed to the man and got on his knees.

“Oh my, you must be Jackson, get up son, you don’t have to-”

“Please. He is a trained omega. He won’t get up unless you bless him,” Jackson’s mother voiced and the elder quickly moved to tap Jackson’s head affectionately. It was tradition to seek the older pack Alpha’s blessing for every omega who entered the family. Jackson’s wolf keened and he finally looked up and smiled wide. He then got up and helped with carrying the gifts inside.

The living room was huge and bathed in bright light, smelled of jasmines and roses and Jackson felt a bit dizzy of how much the scent reminded him of his Alpha’s. The Alpha’s mother came rushing out and squealed when she looked at Jackson. He blushed hard at the reaction and the woman didn’t even let him get on his knees, instead hugged him and kissed his forehead. She then went on to hug Jackson’s mother and they both shed a few tears which really made the situation a little too intense. Once they were done, they smiled wide and everybody had a seat. The wolves in the room were happy and in harmony and Jackson could already feel warmth seeping into his system.

“Your son is beautiful, oh God, he really is so beautiful. Such clear skin, big eyes, such fluffy brown hair, beautiful. When did you present, son?” she asked excitedly.

“Last year.”

“Oh, I see, that’s a bit late. Does it hurt?” she asked and Jackson blushed scarlet. Presentment meant the beginning of the heat cycle. Usually, it happened any time after 20 years of age. It was mandatory for an omega to present before his name was put into the draw. If an omega presented late, it was always attributed to his strength of withstanding a lack of bond. It only proved how strong an omega was. Jackson’s heat hurt like a bitch but he couldn’t accept it here like this, could he?

“Yes. He does. Suppressants help though, thank god for them,” Jackson’s mother answered and Jackson felt his face go even redder. He squirmed and the mothers laughed.

“Awww honey, just a few more days then. I promise all your pains will be gone. Mark will take such good care of you,” the Alpha’s mother whispered only for them three to hear and Jackson rubbed at his cheeks to make the blush go away. They cooed at how adorable he looked.

The fathers got up and started heading towards the backyard, talking about things Jackson couldn’t hear. He looked around and took in how the house looked. There were many doors to rooms to the left. There was a kitchen to the right and an open backyard behind it. Wolves liked their houses to be open like that. He saw thick cover of trees around the entire estate. The Tuans must really like to stay close to nature. His heart started pounding at the thought of living in the place and he started to shake his leg nervously. The mothers had busied themselves into talking and Jackson felt lonely and scared.

_“Rich. Alpha is rich.”_

_“Yes, he is. I am nervous. Why isn’t he here? Isn’t he eager to see me?”_

_“I don’t know, Ga. He must be busy? Ask his mother if you can?”_

_“Wont that be really impolite?”_

_“2018”_

_“Right.”_

“Umm…Mrs Tuan, err…I…where is…ummm,” he stuttered and bit his lip, unable to continue.

“Where’s your Alpha?” she chuckled and Jackson lowered his head, too shy to look up. He gave a small nod and the mothers smiled at each other at how much it affected the boy. Omegas were really enticed with even the idea of meeting their alphas for the first time. They were inherently shy when it came to their alphas, as if it was a part of how their genes had changed. It was weird to see a boy blush so much but over the years, it had become easier.

“He will be here any moment now. He went hunting in the woods with his brother and another pack mate. It’s too hard to stop him from doing something when he makes up his mind. He promised to be here by 6.30, so another fifteen minutes until you see him, my dear,” she said softly and Jackson breathed out. Hunting was a very common activity for alpha wolves to get involved into. It was instinct and it relieved a lot of stress and helped their wolf to unwind. Jackson could picture a huge brown wolf hunting in the woods, the red of his eyes and his strong growl. His body heated up slightly at the visual and he closed his eyes to get a hold of himself.

Minutes seemed like hours then. The Alpha’s mother had served some refreshments, opened their gifts and squealed in delight when she saw a beautiful Pashmina shawl in the gifts. He was glad his mother had chosen everything meticulously. He looked on as his parents and the Alpha’s continued to talk so he wandered around the living room, looking at the beautiful paintings and collectibles that graced it. He was awed by how much the Tuans loved other cultures. Every little thing he looked at somehow felt antique and extremely expensive so he did not dare touch. He stood in front of a huge family portrait of the Tuans and gaped at how powerful they all looked together. It was a pack, a strong pack and its energy was evident even from the picture. His Alpha stood tall in this one, in the centre while his brother and some of the people he didn’t recognize flanked him. This must be when he took over the pack from his father.

He got lost in looking into the Alpha’s eyes. They looked determined but calm, powerful but cold, devoid of doubts, oozing power as if it couldn’t be contained. Just then, a low growl shook his entire being. It was then followed by a howl that literally had every one of them go silent. The energy was so high that Jackson got goose bumps. It was a howl of a pack alpha, anybody could identify it. It was quickly followed by two more howls. Jackson felt his body go rigid and he slowly turned around. His knees felt weak when he looked at a huge brown wolf walk into the kitchen from the backyard. Its muzzle was drenched in blood, its eyes were red and fierce, ears perked up as it walked gracefully into the room. The wolf growled in his direction and eyed him. It made Jackson feel like his energy was draining. He couldn’t meet the wolf’s eyes. Soon enough, there were two wolves standing beside the Alpha and when Jackson finally found the courage to raise his eyes a bit, he could see the difference in size. Mark was huge, he was so huge that the other wolves looked like pet dogs beside him. He towered over them easily, his forelegs were so strong and his fur so thick that Jackson let out a low breath. The wolf growled again and finally Jackson looked up at him.

“A-a-a-lpha!” he whimpered as he crashed on his knees. His parents hurried towards him but he made a gesture for them to stop. He slowly got up, knees wobbly and vision blurry with tears and walked towards the wolf. His heart was beating madly in his chest and his wolf was restless and nervous the closer they got to Mark. When he was close enough to the wolf, he looked up to meet its eyes. His breathing got laboured again and his tears flowed even more freely. He looked away and cleared his throat. He got on his knees and gripped them for support.

He bowed low, low enough that his forehead was almost touching the ground.

“Alpha. I bow in respect to your pack and pack mates. With the blessings of your father and mother, I have entered your territory. The old wolves have chosen our union-”

The wolf growled loudly at that. It resonated throughout the space, shaking the chandelier above with the sheer force of it. Jackson gulped. Had he said something wrong? He bit his lip and looked at his father. It was a custom to seek permission of the pack Alpha to stay in the pack’s territory. Jackson was following his omega customs and he knew it mattered to old, true alpha families a lot.

“Go on, son,” Mark’s father urged him to continue and he nodded. However, the growl had scared the shit out of him. He collected his bearings and continued.

“The old wolves have chosen our union through the blood draw, Alpha. I seek your permission to stay here along with my family until the details of our marriage are discussed. I, an untainted, un-bonded omega, promise of no conflict from my father’s pack to yours while I am here. My father is the pack Alpha, while my mother is the main omega. My two uncles are the other alphas of the pack while their wives are omegas. They are not here at the moment. We are here because I am to be betrothed to you today. Do I have your permission to stay in your territory?”

The wolf grunted and everyone around gasped. The pin drop silence was unsettling.

“Yi En,” Mark’s father growled in return and Jackson felt a chill go down his spine. Did Mark want to deny him permission? In that case, the wolf was supposed to bare his teeth as a warning and attack if they didn’t leave the property fast enough. If he did permit him to stay, then the wolf would bow back in solidarity. But Mark had just grunted, the wolves around him had straightened at that and Mark’s parents squirmed in place.

“Alpha…” Jackson’s eyes made way to tears at the cold refusal. This was just formality which they were supposed to get over with as a part of the custom. But this kind of refusal or hesitation could only mean one thing. Mark wasn’t happy with the news of their union. He cried hard at the mere thought of being rejected by his Alpha, a deep and loud sob bubbled out of his chest and his eyes bled hot tears. The yellow of his wolf could clearly be seen in his eyes and his mother rushed to be on his side and his father growled lowly, unable to control his Alpha urge to protect his son from any kind of harm.

“My Alpha…rejects me…Maa…he…he doesn’t permit me to stay…he…” Jackson couldn’t continue as his whole body rocked in his mother’s arms.

“Yi En,” Mark’s father growled louder and the tension in the room spiked. Jackson’s father immediately stood in front of his own family as if to shield them from harm. He knew there wouldn’t come a situation like that but it was just his alpha instinct.

Mark leisurely licked the blood off of his muzzle and grunted again, looking straight into his father’s eyes. Jackson’s father understood, his heart breaking into a thousand pieces because indeed, the Alpha was rejecting his son with his behaviour. He got on his knees and bowed.

“We shall leave your territory to never return again, Alpha. Thank you for the hospitality Raymond. We will take your leave now.”

Mark’s father growled loudly, loud enough for everyone in the room to feel the sheer power of it. He was the elder Alpha after all, the true pack master. His blood ran through Mark’s veins and it was all the power he needed to make Mark listen.

Mark whined, shaking his head and grunting. The red of Mark’s father’s eyes shined brighter, his claws coming out and his back arching with the urge to shift. He fisted his claws, effectively hurting his own palms in the process. Blood dripped on the floor and the wolves whined at the smell. Jackson’s stomach curled at the scent, making him grimace.

“Yi En, this is your mate. Jaebeom, Joey, go and shift back to your human forms. Now. Mark, you too. Come back dressed. DO NOT HIDE BEHIND YOUR WOLF! You are an Alpha. Behave like one.” He howled for good measure before Mark whined painfully and followed his pack mates to shift back and change.

Jackson nuzzled into his mother’s chest, crying uncontrollably and the Tuans felt helpless because the damage had been done.

“Ricky…I am sorry for what happened. We very much want Jackson to be Mark’s mate. It’s just that…” the man hesitated.

“What is it? Please be honest. You haven’t done anything wrong. I would like to know why your son reacted the way he did towards my boy,” Jackson’s father asked softly, combing his fingers through Jackson’s hair.

“He wants pups…he was expecting a female omega…he very much wants to bear Alpha pups because he is a true Alpha like all the males in our family…” he finished and sighed.

The silence that followed made everyone uncomfortable. Jackson felt himself break down even more at the information. He couldn’t give Mark what he wanted. He wasn’t capable to then why would Mark be happy about this union? There was no reason for Mark to look forward to meeting him. He was a man, an omega, yes, but a man! There was no way he could give Mark pups. There was no way. He clutched his mother’s blouse tightly and sobbed hard into her chest. This was turning to be the worst day of his life. He really hadn’t believed that an Alpha of Mark’s stature had matched with him. He didn’t think he deserved a man like him anyway. And now he was rightfully rejected. He moved out of his mother’s hold and wiped at his eyes. He got up shakily and bowed in front of Mark’s father.

“I understand. It’s not wrong to have a wish like that. I would have given him what he wants if I could…but I can’t…I get it…I don’t know what is to be done if an Alpha doesn’t want to go through with the union…I guess you know better?” he silently cried, not daring to look into the elder’s eyes.

Mark walked down the stairs, bath fresh and dressed. Jackson could smell his scent and it shook his very core. He didn’t dare to turn around while the elders all looked at him and the other boys who walked down with him.

“Yi En, meet Jackson,” Mark’s father looked at Jackson and blinked, expecting him to turn around. Jackson’s breath got caught in his throat. He quickly wiped at his eyes with the pads of his palms and cleared his throat before turning around. He couldn’t look into Mark’s eyes, not again. He didn’t want to see rejection and a cold refusal or any lack of interest in them. He was too weak for that.

The Alpha stepped closer and Jackson cowered. He took a step back, feeling his body heat up at the mere proximity of the man. His wolf clawed at his heart in anguish and yearning so strong that his body rocked with a soft sob again. His eyes made way to tears quickly and he bit his lips from trying to not make any sound. The room went dead silent as Mark walked even closer to Jackson.

Jackson felt Mark’s toes touch his shoes and that is when he dared to look at the man in front of him. Mark’s eyes were red but then a strong brown. His gaze was intent and probing as he stared back into the younger’s eyes. After a few intense seconds of staring, the elder’s gaze wandered over his face, lingering on his nose and then slowly landing on his lips. Jackson wet them immediately and lowered his gaze. He felt the elder’s eyes stare at his collar bone and for a second he was afraid to be reprimanded for keeping that button open.

“What is an omega’s strength?” Mark asked in a deep tenor, sending shivers down Jackson’s body. There was a pin drop silence in the room.

Jackson mulled over the question. It wasn’t uncommon for Alphas to ask questions to their possible mates, especially true alphas, since their blood was too potent and they possessed higher intelligence, super human strength and abilities. They wanted to make sure they were having a union with a worthy wolf and to find out why the bowl had ended up matching them. The efforts were never always successful but ended up as great bedtime stories for pups in the future or garnered laughs at weekly barbeque parties.

“An omega’s strength is his devotion. The moment an omega devotes himself to his Alpha and his pack, he becomes stronger, more powerful so he can protect the ones he loves. He is soft on the outside but strong on the inside because he is the able half of his Alpha. His devotion makes him a shield that will protect the Alpha and the pack in bad times. An Omega’s blood will spill to the last drop to protect his Alpha and his pack.” Jackson answered, unwavering, still unable to meet the Alpha’s eyes.

Mark stared at the boy’s face and crossed his arms on his chest.

“Describe an Alpha.”

Jackson bit his lip and closed his eyes. How was he going to answer this? There was no right way to describe an Alpha in a few sentences. Alphas were everything good and powerful in the wolf world. They were the answer to all questions. Even if he tried to rack his brains with the textbook definitions of an Alpha wolf or the powers that being an Alpha entailed, he would just fail. He was just going to wing it with his heart and his emotions for Mark, which, as it turns out, had already taken hold in his heart.

“What is an Alpha?” Mark repeated softly before breathing out hard enough.

“An Alpha is that one wolf who is powerful and noble, righteous but cunning, shrewd but modest, human but more wolf than any of us. An Alpha is Alpha because he can control both his human and wolf instincts well. He knows when to give in to the wolf and when to remain human. He knows that his power is meant to protect and not hurt. He knows he has to sometimes use that power to kill in order to protect his pack, his omega. He is Alpha because he knows how to control those with power the right way. He is a righteous wolf who is born to breed, protect and foster wolves in his pack. He is Alpha with the strength of his character and not his power. He is Alpha with his very being and not how powerful his claws are. He is meant to lead the wolf blood to health, wealth and prosperity. He is a leader loved and worshipped by his pack and his omega,” Jackson gulped as he felt the sheer Alpha energy spike in the air around him.

“Jackson…” Mr Wang whispered and Jackson snapped his head in his direction. He saw his father smile wide and felt his heart beat quicken. He then looked at Mark’s father who was also smiling. He then looked Mark’s face and his heart sank. There was a deep frown on it. He readied himself for another question because he could just feel it coming.

“If an Alpha takes a liking to another beta or omega, what would you do? If in that situation, a threat looms on your Alpha’s life, would you save him or let him fend for himself out of spite?”

Jackson growled at the question, the yellow of his wolf shined through his eyes and his claws so much wanted to come out. Jackson closed his eyes tight and willed his wolf to calm down because this was a make or break situation. He had to beg hard to his wolf to give him back control and finally it relented. He took a few ragged breaths before opening his eyes. He stared straight into Mark’s and blinked.

“I will kill that beta or omega. I will snap their neck like a twig or claw out their heart and squish it before throwing it away. I will take pleasure in blood slowly draining away from their body…I will see to it that even their bones do not remain in this world.” Jackson had said it in cold blood, without blinking or flinching. Jackson’s mother gasped in the background but he remained unbothered.

“I will die for my Alpha even if he hates me, cheats on me, throws me away or regards me for nothing. Even the last drop of my blood will be loyal to my Alpha. I will save him at the cost of my life any given day, in any given situation.” He had said it while he looked Mark dead in the eye. His wolf had given him the inner strength to get through this and he could never appreciate it more.

“Kill the beta or omega? Why?”

“My Alpha shall only be mine. Mine.” He growled and breathed heavily.

Mark stepped closer and breathed on his face and Jackson took a shallow breath and closed his eyes tightly. He felt the tip of the Alpha’s nose touch his jawline and then the sensitive skin below his ear. He whimpered because he felt heat engulf his body. He felt nimble fingers unbuttoning two of his shirt buttons and his breath hitched. The Alpha sniffed him leisurely and rubbed his nose against his neck. It was animalistic in nature for Alphas to sniff their mate and feel their scent to understand their feelings. Jackson must smell like anguish and fear but also deep yearning and pain.

Mark rubbed the tip of his nose on his pulse point before planting a kiss on it. Jackson whimpered deeply at the sensation. His blood thrummed at Mark’s proximity.

“Vanilla and woody patchouli with hints of Sandalwood and Amber.” The Alpha sniffed his neck and slowly bared his shoulder, making Jackson whimper even more. The embarrassment of being like this in front of the pack and his parents made him feel like his face was on fire.

“Aa..aa..alpha,” he whimpered as Mark licked the spot where his bite mark would go.

“Yi En…” Mark’s father growled and so did Jackson’s.

Mark kept licking the spot before planting a kiss on it too.

“I accept the match made by the old wolves. Pa, this is my omega,” Mark whispered close to Jackson’s ear and he felt his knees buckle. He almost hit the floor before Mark held him by the elbows and made him sit on the sofa.

“What?”

“I accept this union.”

**

Jackson was dazed to say the least. He could still feel Mark’s touch on his shoulder blade, his tongue, his breath. He shivered as he looked at his mother. He didn’t understand what had suddenly changed. Mark stood over him, a hand still lightly placed on his shoulder. Mark was staring at his father and it looked like their wolves were in conversation. The entire pack seemed to be linked to Mark in a way that they were only communicating through the bond. Mark’s father let out a sigh of relief and his mother squealed with joy as she ran towards the younger’s mother to hug her.

“Mark says he was wary about the match being with a man. But, he is willing to go ahead. He says he wants to respect the old wolves and probably Jackson does have something special that would bring value to the pack,” she announced hurriedly and Jackson’s parents relaxed.

Mark then turned to look down at Jackson. The boy had his head down. Mark bent down so he was on his knees in front of Jackson. It made the boy stumble back and he tried to stand up because Mark couldn’t just kneel in front of him like that, could he? But Mark held him down by the shoulders, not really saying anything but looking into his eyes with intensity. Jackson looked away because a blush decorated his cheeks right away. Mark gently buttoned his shirt but left the top two buttons open. Jackson blushed even more as the Alpha’s finger grazed his skin while he did so.

“You have my permission to be in my pack’s territory until our marriage.” It was a whisper but Jackson couldn’t stop his face from changing colour. He blushed hard, hard enough for the other pack alphas to snicker behind Mark.

“Only Yi En can make his mate cry hard and then blush hard, all in a span of a few minutes. Wow, Alpha, wow,” the man snickered. Jackson dared to look up and saw that it was Mark’s brother. He looked away, too shy to even look at anybody in that moment. But Mark was still kneeling in front of him and it didn’t sit well with him.

“Alpha…” he whispered and there was pin drop silence because okay, Mark and Jackson were talking for the first time after Mark had accepted the union.

“Hmm?”

Jackson bit his lip and fisted his own pants out of nervousness. He dared to look at Mark for a second but his eyes went downcast again.

“Umm…please don’t…” he fidgeted in his spot before Mark moved a bit closer and his breath hitched. Mark rested his arms on his knees lightly and looked up at him curiously.

“You were saying?” he asked and Jackson was having a hard time breathing. Mark was resting on his knees! His Alpha was that close!

“Don’t kneel in front of me…it’s…it’s not right…” he whispered so just Mark could hear. The others took a step forward because they hadn’t heard what he had said. It made Jackson blush harder.

“Yeah? Why?”

“Because…” Jackson looked around nervously because all eyes were on them and so much attention was getting him shaky. “You shouldn’t kneel in front of an omega…please…”

Mark got up at that, making Jackson stand up too.

“Am I allowed to show him around? I need to talk to him. I will also hand him my clothes. Pa, is that okay? Mr Wang, Mrs Wang? Is that okay? I will only follow the customs. You have my word,” Mark bowed and the parents nodded. The other Alphas smirked at Mark as he walked up the stairs towards his room. Jackson looked at his family and gulped. His mother nodded to him and he slowly followed after Mark.

The upper part of the house was huge, just as the lower one. Mark pushed open a door on the right and turned around. Jackson looked away because his heart was doing somersaults in his chest and he could hear a buzz in his ears because this was so overwhelming.

He followed the elder inside the room and Mark shut the door and latched it.

The latching of the door made Jackson blush a deeper red, the tip of his ears were red too. He entwined his own fingers over his thighs and did not dare look up.

“So, do you know how I knew I found a mate?” Mark asked softly and walked towards him. Jackson shook his head lightly because he really didn’t. There was no way he could know what Mark saw in his own visions.

“I was in the States, in my hotel room, in the middle of the night. And I saw a vision of you…enticingly smelling like vanilla and woody patchouli trying to woo me. You were hardly wearing anything. Are you promiscuous? Do you woo Alphas?” his tone had an edge to it which Jackson found really bothersome. He gulped his hurt down. Was Mark really suggesting that Jackson had character problems?

“Do you entice an Alpha with your body?” he whispered close to his ear and Jackson pushed him away gently.

“If you think I do, you know how to confirm it, don’t you?” Jackson said with an edge to his own voice. He felt angry and betrayed, very small and useless. “You don’t have to marry me if you have such doubts about me. It’s not in my control what your wolf shows you when he wants you to see me.” He felt good once he finished.

“I will confirm it, I sure will. I wonder how it works between a male omega and an Alpha…do you know?” Mark walked closer to him again, grabbed him by the elbows and pushed him back slowly, leading him towards the wardrobe. His back hit it lightly after a few steps and Jackson breathed hard.

“What are you doing?” he whispered and tried to push Mark away. “You can’t-”

Mark nuzzled into his neck and Jackson whined. “Alpha…” he tried to push him back again but the man didn’t move. Mark swiftly unbuttoned his shirt and tried to remove it but Jackson held him by the wrists.

“Please…” Mark whispered, planting a kiss on his neck. Jackson felt dizzy just by the sensation. “Let me...”

“You can…you can after marriage…” Jackson whispered back but Mark pushed his hands away and finally got rid of his shirt. Jackson got his arms crossed to cover himself because, no, this should not be happening right now. This wasn’t right. If the elders came to knew this…they would be furious.

“I am allowed to scent you. Am I not? Isn’t that why you shall wear my clothes home? So that my scent takes hold on your body? Do you think it matters how I scent you?” Mark tightly grabbed his wrists and moved them away. Jackson was bare-chested and Mark growled lowly. He looked at Jackson’s collar bone, his shoulder blades, his nipples which looked like they were hardening on their own, his pecs and well defined abs. The waist of his pants hid the area below his bellow button so Mark raked his eyes over what was in front of him. He bit his lip and looked at Jackson.

“I thought I would feel nothing…” Mark’s voice broke a bit and Jackson looked at him confused. “But…but I do…it’s not right…” he whispered and looked away. He stood straight and fidgeted before looking back into Jackson’s eyes. He brought his fingers to touch Jackson’s lips. He ran them over gently over his plump bottom lip and heard the boy breathe heavily. He then stroked his chin just as gently. The fingers moved to touch his throat and his collar bone and Jackson moaned. Mark brought his other hand to touch his shoulder blades. He rubbed both his thumbs over them and Jackson convulsed. Mark’s eyes turned dark, his insides burned at the deep yearning he felt for the boy in front of him. He growled lowly and his fingers went lower, deliciously rubbing his nipples with the pad of his thumbs. Jackson moaned loudly and held his wrists tightly. Mark bent a bit so he was at the level of the boy’s chest. He looked up at Jackson and saw him stare back at him with hooded eyes.

“My omega, I choose to scent you…here,” he darted his tongue out and ran it sensuously over Jackson’s right nipple. He then wrapped his lips around the nub and licked at it gently. Jackson’s whole body jerked at the sensation, he pushed at Mark’s shoulders but the elder was attached to him, sucking on him fervently.

“A..a..alpha…no,” he whimpered as he tried harder to push Mark until he finally separated with a plop.  

“This is wrong…you can’t scent me like this…what if…what if the elders find out…I can’t…don’t do this, please,” he pleaded as he brought his arms to hide himself. He could still feel Mark’s lips on his, his tongue and his touch. It made his body heat up.

“I loved it…I loved how that felt…this can’t be…it must be my wolf…” Mark looked up at him, his eyes a bright red and then brown as he said that. His expression hardened and he looked away. He hurriedly opened his wardrobe and pulled out an old, battered t-shirt. He handed it to Jackson and saw the younger’s eyes shine brightly as he held the shirt close to his chest.

“You called me yours…I am yours…” he muttered and hurriedly put the shirt on and sobbed. “This…smells like cocoa…this smells like cocoa and jasmines…just like you…my Alpha…” he cried as he pulled the hem up and kissed it. “Thank you, thank you…thank you for accepting me…I was so scared…I was scared you would reject me…that you hated me…” he sobbed hard into the shirt and Mark felt bad for the boy. He did give him the impression that he didn’t like him and that he wasn’t eager to see him. But he had his own reason for it. And the reason was still in his heart.

“The draw chose you for me. Your blood must be special. I didn’t match for three whole years with anybody. This was my last chance…and it chose you…you must be special.” Mark muttered as he handed Jackson his shirt that lay on the floor. “Let’s go downstairs before everybody starts wondering…about…what we are up to…”

Jackson made an incoherent noise and nodded. He folded his own shirt properly and held it close. He didn’t dare look at Mark again because he could feel butterflies erupting in his stomach. He could smell Mark on himself so strongly that it was starting to make him dizzy. Mark started to walk towards the door but stopped short. Jackson stopped behind him and looked up.

“Has someone seen you like this before?” he asked and Jackson sighed.

“No. Did you smell anything fishy in my scent? Any impurity?” he asked and Mark thought back. Jackson’s smell was too pure and enticing. There was no impurity or mixing of any other kind of scent with him. He did smell another enticing smell on him though.

“I got hints of wild lilies and-”

“That’s from my best friend…an omega…he…umm…he helped me get ready,” Jackson quickly added.

Mark nodded. “I…I don’t want…I don’t want anybody to see you like that…” he muttered and Jackson couldn’t help but giggle at that. Mark’s eyes widened at the sound.

“Nobody will see me like that. Nobody has ever. I am from a reputable family and I have been raised with strict omega rules. My father is a really strict Alpha…I would never step out of the line…”

“You just let me…”

Jackson bit his lip at that but couldn’t hold the smile that split his face.

“Because I am betrothed to you…because you have a…a right...”

“I do? How many rights do I have?” Mark whispered as he walked towards him again.

Jackson had his arms stretched in front of him before letting out another giggle. “Let’s go downstairs…we will talk about it later…oh God…please don’t look at me like that…” Jackson hid his face behind his palms as Mark got closer.

Mark snorted. “Male omegas are so shy…I have never seen a male omega…in my life…in this context…”

Jackson uncovered his face and stared at him, surprised. “What do you mean?”

“We only have female omegas in my family. It’s just how it has worked all these years. All my cousins, all the branch families…they got matched to female omegas through the draw…you are the first male omega who will be-” he cleared his throat and bit his lip.

“There’s…there’s no difference…except…except that…our bodies are not developed to the point of being able to carry pups…” Jackson’s voice broke as he remembered what Mark’s father had told him. “I am sorry…I am sorry…I am so sorry I can’t give you the one thing you so badly want…” he hugged himself close. “I would give you pups if I could, my Alpha…I wish I could…” his voice broke and Mark felt a little anger spike in his heart at being matched with someone who couldn’t give him successors. It was such a big deal breaker but his wolf was deeply attracted to Jackson and he was in and out of control of his body and mind.

He guessed the wolf had already accepted Jackson as his mate and did not really care about him being a man. But Mark, he did. He wanted pups and he wasn’t going to relent right away. Whatever he did till then was only to confirm how his wolf felt. It was pretty disturbing how he too felt physically attracted to the younger. Jackson was just too attractive and beautiful to not feel like that. It came as a shock for him how he could even feel this way because he had only ever had dreams of being married to a female omega. Going through with this marriage was essential because this was the last time he could enter the draw and the draw had yielded a match. Because it was a blood draw, he was obligated to go ahead with this union, whether he liked it or not.

There was no choice. His married life had been chosen for him. He was never going to father pups, wake up to a wife on his side or have a baby play in his arms. It was just not destined for him. What was destined for him was Jackson, who was currently lost in his thoughts, with tears streaming down his eyes. Why did the boy even care for him to this extent? Why had he allowed him to touch him like that? Was it because of inherent omega nature to submit to Alphas like that? Or was it because it was Mark? He didn’t know. He only knew he had to go through with this or he would die a lone wolf, his pack would be in jeopardy, he would lose his powers eventually and their legacy would be tainted forever.

* * *

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's all complex, how Mark feels and how Jackson looks at him. It's clear something is just not right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This did not come out well. I have written this in between work breaks. It's not very compelling or thrilling but sets president for the upcoming chapters.

Things progressed fast after the couple returned downstairs. The atmosphere was jovial and Jackson didn’t know what to feel because he was overwhelmed. The other members from the pack had introduced themselves, however there were still a few he hadn’t met yet because they weren’t around. Mark’s brother was really sweet and so was his friend, Jaebeom. Jackson came to know that the water element wolves had always been true alphas. Their powers seemed to have originated in the blue waters of Howlers Bay when it had just started to become a wolf haven, thanks to the wolf blood magic evolving in its very core. They were only two families left with this origin after the war- the Ims and the Tuans and they had rightfully contained their powers within their families by forming a pack.

Blue true alphas or water element alphas were known to be level headed fighters. They sensed danger faster, their bodies had crazy immunity and healing powers. They also had a photographic memory, heightened senses (more than normal wolves) so that they could sense the presence of other supernatural beings in a big radius. They had an affinity to water so they were great swimmers and had very good navigation skills. They were naturally intelligent but just as shrewd and conniving if their territory was in danger. Their human forms were tall and beautiful, attractive to the point of having had harems of omegas at one point in time when bonding was unrestricted. The power of having multiple blood bonds had declined over time but legends had always predicted that it would happen. Wolves needed to have close knit packs to guard themselves better and not have blood baths just out of spite or as a show of power.

It made Jackson wonder how it must feel to contain so much power within oneself. How did they do it for so long for their wolves to be in such harmony with their human halves? It must be difficult. It really must be. These true alphas could form bonds that transcended distance like no other. So, if Mark bonded with Jackson, he would be able to communicate with him even when they weren’t in the same place. He would be able to sense his wellbeing or know if he was in danger even when they were far apart, even on different continents! More than the wolf blood magic, it was the power of a blue alpha wolf to submerge himself in his pack’s conscious that gave his bond so much strength. Literally every power they had had come from the innate, reserved and now dormant power of the Howlers Bay.

If Mark was a Blue true alpha, then Jackson was an omega prime. Omega primes were rare. It was said that they were but a genetic glitch in the wolf system. The evolution of wolf blood had brought about a very special kind of omega into existence, an omega that could give more than his life, his blood and his love to his pack. An omega who could share his power. An omega prime, in the time of danger, could easily share his power and his wolf’s with another wolf of his choice. However, the instances and legends only talked about this omega sharing his power with his own Alpha and nobody else. When he did share his power, his Alpha could easily double his own because of the love and intensity of the omega’s will to protect his mate and his pack. The primes were fiercely loyal and obsessively loving towards their family and pack, so much that they never saw anything beyond them. This made them vulnerable and sensitive to threats, causing them to have mental breakdowns even at little conflict. However, that’s when their endurance came in. They were a mix of all things complex and there was nobody who could exactly describe the powers and weaknesses of a prime.

All that was known was that a prime’s innate power that could equal an Alpha’s during conflict had come to be when packs had started to become powerless because Alphas were losing their powers by misusing them.  The worst part was, Jackson didn’t even know he was an omega prime. Nobody did, except his mother.

She had seen Jackson grow from a little pup to a beautiful omega who could withstand anything and everything without flinching. Once, as a baby, Jackson had crawled too close to the fire place and touched a block of burning wood. But it hadn’t bothered him one bit because he had crazy endurance to pain. He had just crawled back to her with a burnt palm and a gurgling, smiling face. That night she had cried herself to sleep. Omega primes were destined pain, physical and emotional. It had always been like that. It was said that these wolves always attracted pain. The wolf blood magic would always take a lot from them for making them the way they were.

Their endurance meant they were the first line of defence for their pack. They always stood in between their packs and their enemies, endured attacks after attacks from them to tire them out so their alphas could defeat them easily. They were so much like a safety chip exchanged for life. She had told herself that her son would only make them proud one day by being the way he was. She also knew that even if her son had endurance, it didn’t mean he didn’t feel pain. He could feel a lot of pain, so much that it could make him breathless and tired but he would never let it show. She had never shared his true nature with her husband but little did she know that he had found it out when Jackson was barely fourteen.

Human half of the wolf was always an expert in combat. There was no other way. The war had left the whole race sensitive and afraid. No wolf was excused from training. They were always trained based on their nature. Omegas were skilled fighters because they would mate with Alphas, stand by them and protect them. Betas were sneakier and relied more on their intelligence than their powers. Their training would also include mind games and psychological warfare. So if an Alpha was a leader then his omega was his most trusted soldier while his pack beta was his most reliable executer. It was leadership, power and brains. A very bell balanced pack dynamic. Jackson had learned from the best since his father had been a great Alpha, revered by many as a golden boy who came with the best war strategies, the best plans to break defences of enemies. His family had had some of the most dynamic Alphas who had fought on the right side during the war, helping the culling of other supernatural entities that had threatened the entire wolf world. There were so many dark secrets that he had guarded with his life and had readied Jackson for the problems that could arise in the near future if his intuitions were right.

Jackson was always a strong omega. His body had developed well to the extent that sometimes his father felt like he was an Alpha. He always accompanied him on runs, never tiring out or complaining as he was put through stringent physical training and combat routines to build his defences. He always told Jackson that he was an exceptional omega and the boy would believe it happily, never probing into why he was the way he was. Mr Wang always found it to be a blessing because Jackson was soft. His heart was in the right place and he would do everything with a positive mind, never complaining or arguing with him. He had seen his son grow into a near perfect omega, his only flaw being his nature to give his all to everyone and everything. He never held back, never guarded himself. May be it was what being a prime meant. He just had to be receptive to everything, every kind of energy and reciprocate it with whatever he had to offer.

When Mr Wang looked at his son now, shyly looking around and taking his new life in, he knew he had to let go, let the boy make his own decisions, guard his own heart. He still very much doubted the Alpha’s intentions but he couldn’t withdraw Jackson from a blood draw. This was his destiny. He had to live it. He had done his best to prepare his boy.

At a point, he had been glad that his son was a prime. It meant that whatever pack he would be a part of, he would be a very formidable opponent to enemies. However, it also meant he would need his Alpha’s strong bond to use the best of his power. If that didn’t happen, he could become weak. His human body wouldn’t withstand the immense power that his wolf held and would look to share it with his Alpha. That was the very reason his heats had been so harsh. His body would weaken and his endurance would suddenly disappear and he would desperately cry out for his Alpha because he needed a bond. The four heats he had had in the past year had been the most painful experience for the entire family because they could feel him writhe and his wolf would howl in pain in search of a connection he could only have with an Alpha. So, amongst the wolves that Jackson stood in the moment, he was really special and he didn’t even know.

“I am sorry Ricky, this has to be done in front of everyone…I hope you don’t mind the custom…” Mark’s father garnered everyone’s attention as he said that. Mr Wang knew what he meant so he waved at Jackson to come close to him. He held his son close and nodded.

“With the blessing of the old wolves and new, I, the father of the current pack alpha of the Blue Light Pack, preposition the marriage of my son to yours. Your son should, by custom, declare his heat cycle to his alpha so the wedding can be planned accordingly. This wedding will be followed by a claiming ceremony and branding in the moonlight. Are there any alphas who would want to challenge my son for a fight to death to claim this omega?” he pointed at Jackson.

Jackson was already red in the face with what was said in the presence of all important pack members and his parents. He had to declare his heat cycle to Mark? Why? He didn’t understand it so he looked at his father and bit his lip.

“He has been an untainted omega. No Alpha has ever laid a hand on him or wants to claim him. Wangs have followed the blood draw since its inception and will do so in the future. I humbly accept your preposition for the marriage of our sons. My son will declare his cycle to his mate in privacy.”

Jackson still looked at his father, unsure why he had to share something so intimate so early on with Mark. As if understanding his confusion, Mark’s father walked towards him and put his hand on his head.

“If he gives you his bite when you are close to your heat, your body may not be able to sustain it and we won’t have a wedding. The brand won’t take form on your body because of how sensitive you will be. Blue alphas have a very powerful bite. You will have to take care of yourself before the wedding. That’s why you have to tell him when you go into heat so he can scent you for as long as it has to wait. Only he has to know, we don’t. We will agree to a date he decides.”

“Scent me? But, I already have his clothes…” Jackson whispered and the elder chuckled.

“It wears off because you have your own dominant scent until he claims you. As you near marriage, your scent turns sweeter because your emotions heighten. So, he will have to keep on scenting you until he claims you so you can roam around freely without being attacked by other Alphas. Once or twice a week, he will scent you in a way he deems feasible. Is that okay, Ricky?”

Jackson hid in his father’s chest because he couldn’t handle it. Mark’s way of scenting him was…scandalous…he didn’t dare look in his direction. He felt his father nod.

“Go, talk to him so we can finalize a date…go,” his father muttered against his ear and he blushed. He folded his arms over his chest and walked towards the backyard on impulse. Mark was standing right by the kitchen platform. When he reached him, he stopped and did not look up, waiting for him to lead. They walked slowly, sensing all eyes on their backs. Mark led the boy deeper into his territory, fighting an inner turmoil and mainly his own wolf.

It had already turned dark. The trees swayed to the breeze and cicadas buzzed into the night. It felt eerily like Jackson’s dream. He breathed in the scent and a smile crept on his face. Mark lingered around him, eyeing him closely and he bit his lip. They remained silent for a while, just letting the cold breeze wash over them.

“So…umm…my last cycle ended twenty days ago…” he said weakly, hugging his body close because just the thought of Mark imagining him like that made his body convulse a bit.

Mark continued to stare at him so he carefully raised his head up. The red of his eyes shined in the darkness and he felt breathless at how enamoured he felt. He wanted to touch the Alpha’s face, kiss his eyes, nuzzle into his neck and smell him. The yearning was so strong that he took a step forward. Just then, Mark’s eyes turned back to normal, making him flinch in his spot. He looked away and stood rooted to his spot. The silence got to him very fast because he just couldn’t understand what Mark was feeling or thinking. Mark started walking and Jackson followed.

“Are you okay with the marriage happening in two weeks?” Mark asked abruptly although he didn’t look at him, instead stared at the sky. “Your body must have just started going back to normal…you still smell a bit sweet…”

Jackson fidgeted. The truth was that his body was completely fine. The heat came once in every three months. There was no pain or weakness that lingered after it. The two-three days that it stretched would literally make him into a weakling but as it receded, he would regain full control of how he felt and dealt with the remaining problems. The giddiness and the irritation would make him not see the light of the day and remain locked in his room. He would cry his eyes out hoping he would never feel empty and lonely again. It would get so hard to get over those emotions but he would endure…he would tell himself that this would end once he found his mate…he would hold onto that very thought and endure…first the physical pain, the lack of extreme intimacy that his body desired and then the emotional pain that left him weak and distraught…

Mark started walking again. They walked for a few minutes until they were in a clearing between the woods. Moonlight filtered through the trees and illuminated everything around them. Just then, Jackson smelled blood and his senses were on a high alert. “Fresh blood…” he sniffed the air more fervently before letting out a low growl. “An elk…a male elk in a…rut?” he muttered and Mark turned to look at him, stunned.

“How did you-”

“I can smell it in the blood…his blood smells of his arousal. You hunted it. Its carcass is to the west, isn’t it?” Mark nodded, trying hard to not let his pleasant surprise show. Jackson was skilled and his senses were superior to most omegas from Mark’s family. He couldn’t help but wonder about his hunting skills.

“My bite will take a lot out of you…my bond will weaken you to the very core…it will draw energy from your wolf so that I can submerge myself into his conscious…it will give me access to you and this transition will weaken you… let us make it three weeks so you can build up your strength…” Mark drawled, uninterested, still gazing at the stars in the sky.

“Okay…” Jackson stammered and he too looked up at the stars, unsure of how to react to Mark’s disinterest. It hurt but he didn’t let it show.

“Can you hunt?” Mark asked offhandedly as if it was something he did not expect Jackson to be good at.

“Yes. I can.” Jackson answered, trying really hard to not sound offended. Of course, he could hunt. He was a wolf! He knew how to hunt, thank you very much. His wolf huffed a bit, clearly offended.

“Good. Then I hope it won’t be a problem when we go on our first hunt with the pack together.”

“It won’t.” Jackson answered with an edgy voice. The lack of trust and the doubt was getting him. It was the last thing he expected his Alpha to do.

Mark turned to look at him, eyeing him carefully. The boy looked good in the dim lights of the backyard. His wolf keened and quickly took over him, giving him a chill down the spine. But Mark was a strong man, he pushed his wolf out just in time to prevent him from manhandling the omega.

“Okay. So it’s settled then…the 3rd of July…” Mark uttered. Jackson bit his lip before nodding.

“Let’s head back then,” the elder turned around and Jackson sighed.

“Umm…”

Mark stopped at that and waited for Jackson to speak but when he didn’t, he turned back to look at him. “What is it?”

“I…umm…you…don’t…” Jackson knew it would be extremely impolite to ask what he wanted to so he just shut his mouth.

“What?” Mark asked, the edge in his voice was back and Jackson felt bad again. It never seemed to vanish and it was like a resounding slap on the excitement his wolf kept on building about the union.

“Just say it. There’s nobody here. I don’t mind,” Mark urged and Jackson gulped.

“You don’t seem excited about this marriage…” he muttered and breathed heavily because he couldn’t avoid it anymore in spite of what had happened in Mark’s room.

Mark felt his insides coil. He didn’t want Jackson to have doubts like these. He very much needed to get through this wedding or everything would be a mess. There were things at stake that Jackson had no idea about and he wasn’t at the liberty to share. He needed to honour this blood draw in any case. He had to push his human self to be a bit involved and interested or Jackson was going to keep on having such thoughts in his head and it was never going to do any good for him.

He closed his eyes and willed himself to do what he had in mind. He had to do it to make Jackson believe that indeed he had moved over his obsession of having pups and was ready to start a life with him. His wolf clawed him at how he was planning to fool the boy but he endured it. His wolf could be angry all he wanted but Mark had to do this, for his pack, for his wolf, for everything that Jackson didn’t know.

“I don’t show how I feel openly,” he took a step forward so he was towering over Jackson. He breathed heavily in his direction and looked at the boy’s face. It was quickly gaining colour because of his proximity. “Unless you want me to show you now,” he gripped at the boy’s biceps and growled. “Shall I? Just be quiet,” he whispered as he led the boy towards a tree.

“Alpha…what-”

He was gracelessly pushed so his back hit the trunk of a huge tree. He winced at the impact.

“You look so good in person than in my dreams…I couldn’t believe it…and the way I saw you in it…you don’t know how turned on I was for two days straight. The sweet smell, the soft smiles you gave me, the words of affection you used…” he whispered in to the omega’s ear and felt him whine. He stared into the boy’s eyes for emphasis but as expected Jackson’s eyes went downcast immediately.

“I will make you so happy, omega. You won’t have time to feel anything else. You won’t be able to live life like you do now…”

Jackson didn’t understand what the man meant so he dared to look into his eyes and ask.

“You will only ever smell of me…you will only see me, touch me and feel me inside you…every day…you will bare yourself to me and I will devour you and your wolf whole…you will convulse under me…my gaze…my body…you will forget you were ever lonely in your life…you will forget who you are when you are with me.”  

Jackson pushed him away by his shoulders and giggled. It was hearty, as if Mark had been the cheesiest person alive. Then it had turned into a full blown laugh, the sound breaching the cold silence of the clearing.

“Oh my God,” he laughed even more when he looked at Mark’s shocked face. “You…you are so cheesy and…oh God…so Alpha…” he closed his eyes and laughed more, making his face turn too bright for the night. His eyes crinkled adorably and his pearly whites showed clearly through his parted pink lips. “You…are gonna…what…devour me and my wolf whole?” he covered his mouth with a hand while the other gripped his own side so he didn’t double up.

Mark was done. He couldn’t watch the boy laugh at his expense. Before he knew what he was doing, he choked him, instantly ceasing the laughter that had almost bubbled out of his lips. He lifted the boy up with his sheer strength so his feet dangled in the air. Jackson looked down at him as if he was unbothered but a little surprised at the physical intimidation. The boy’s fingers came to wrap around Mark’s and squeezed so the hold tightened. Mark’s eyes widened as he saw the boy stare at him. His face had turned red because of how tight Mark was holding him. He loosened his hold but Jackson squeezed his fingers so it was tight again.

“What the hell,” Mark brought his other hand to push Jackson’s away and put him down. He could see a bruise forming around the boy’s neck and he panicked. What if the elders saw it? He immediately pulled the boy closer and began inspecting his neck.

“It will go away in a minute or two…I heal fast…” the boy muttered and Mark snapped his head up to look into his eyes. “You could have just asked me to stop laughing, you know,” he continued and looked away.

Mark felt like shit. His greed was turning him into a bad person but he just couldn’t help it. He was stuck in a situation he hadn’t anticipated. He was being reckless and careless, brutal and fake and there was no helping it. The boy only made him work harder to keep his cover with the way he was. This was going to be difficult and Mark felt screwed to the worst extent.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” Mark delicately rubbed at the bruise with his fingertips and felt the boy shudder at his touch just like he had in his room. “Nobody laughs at me…I have never experienced that in my life…because of me, yes…but at me, no. You okay?” Mark tried his best to let his concern reflect through is tone but he felt like Jackson’s eyes saw right through him.

“Yeah. Let’s head back.” Jackson lightly pushed his hand away and started walking towards the house, leaving Mark looking at his back in slight panic. It was now or never. He wanted to quell all doubt in the omega’s mind so he had to act fast or it was going to screw everything up.

Mark grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him back. Jackson yelped as he hit Mark’s chest and clamoured for support. Mark held him close in his embrace, tight against his chest. He felt the boy breath heavily against him, trying to find purchase. May be was too shy to hold Mark back so he had his fingers fisted against Mark’s biceps, his head awkwardly situated on the elder’s chest.

“I was harsh…it’s out of my control sometimes…I just…it happens…” he muttered against the boy’s hair and felt him make a small sound against his chest. “Won’t my omega hold me back?” he whispered, letting some panic show through his tone. He felt the younger wrap his arms around his neck shyly. It had worked.

“It’s fine as long as you only do it with me…and nobody else…”

“Do what?”

“Be like this? Be cheesy, make me laugh and hold only me close.” Mark felt Jackson bunch his shirt over his back, his grip tightening. He willed himself to not smirk at that. The boy was too enticed with him for his own good. Mark’s wolf clawed his heart. It made his body shudder with a pain similar to a sudden stab wound. He closed his eyes tightly for it to recede, getting his wolf to surrender to him yet again, albeit forcefully.

“Is that so?” he ran his fingers over the younger’s back in a soothing circle to seal the deal. He felt the boy shudder yet again.

“Yes. Even you won’t be able to live life like you do now after you claim me, Alpha…” Jackson nuzzled into his neck and groaned, holding onto him tightly. He inhaled Mark’s scent greedily, his wolf keening at it, groaning repeatedly as his nose rubbed against the crook of Mark’s neck, up and down below his ear. Mark didn’t stop him, even if his human form wanted to. His wolf keened, showing Mark images of the boy licking his neck and moaning below him. “My Alpha, mine, mine.” Mark shuddered as the younger’s lips ghosted over his skin, his wolf tried to take control over him once more but with all his will, he suppressed his efforts yet again.

“I should also scent you…shouldn’t I?” he muttered against his neck and Mark couldn’t help but snort.

“Alphas cannot be scent- OUCH,” Mark winced as he felt a sharp sting under his earlobe. He pulled Jackson away by his hair. Jackson had his skin between his teeth so he hissed even more. He had finally get go because of the harsh pull and looked up. Mark was breathless when he saw the yellow of Jackson’s wolf shine in his eyes. It was wolf instinct then, it was strong wolf instinct and it stirred his own wolf to the point that he gasped. His wolf growled angrily inside him as he tried to push Mark’s conscious away, trying to take over his body.

 _“Not now, boo,”_ he pleaded but his wolf kept fidgeting. He was eager for Jackson’s wolf and that was truly how it worked. But Mark didn’t want to let his wolf respond, no way. It would be harder if that happened so he used all his power to quell his wolf’s rebellion. He whined, helpless, as Mark pushed him away, pressing his conscious down with his strong two hands inside his head.

Due to Mark’s loud gasp, Jackson snapped back to reality. He tried to gain control over himself, shaking his head vigorously to tackle his wolf while having a tug of war with him.

 _“Fie, stop, fuck what did you do? So shameless,”_ he complained as he pushed his wolf out harder and harder but the wolf only tried to hold onto his head because he was aroused by his Alpha’s scent. _“A little more, Ga, please. His clothes do his scent no justice. He smells so good like this…please,”_ his wolf pleaded and Jackson felt his heart jerk a bit at how much he wanted it. _“I am sorry, Fie. We can’t be like this with him just yet. It’s not good manners. I don’t know how I am going to say sorry to him now. You are so greedy.”_ He finally succeeded in getting back control, his eyes turned brown as he stared at Mark apologetically. He immediately moved away, taming his hair after Mark’s pull had damaged it.

“I am sorry, I am so sorry, I…my wolf…I am so sorry,” he bowed and was about to get on his knees for what he had done because they were still not bonded.

“DON’T.” Mark yelled as he got the boy to stand straight. “You too have a right over me. I think we shouldn’t be alone like this…it only creates problems. Let’s head back or the elders will come looking for us. Just don’t mind what happened here, please. I won’t too.” He rubbed the spot Jackson’s teeth had grazed. The sting had already vanished. He then stared at Jackson’s neck. The finger marks around his neck had vanished too. He breathed a sigh of relief and grabbed the younger’s hand to walk him back.

**

“3rd of July? Okay. That’s good. We have enough time to prepare, invite our branch families, and get enough Bay water to bathe you two in…great! Your place will be ready by then too. Your first hunt will happen in the monsoon. That’s gonna be tough, Yi En, but Ricky here tells me that Jackson’s too skilled a hunter so the rains won’t be a problem. I am so happy for you. Three long years you have waited and see what a beautiful mate you have gotten yourself. The bowl has blessed us,” Mark’s father chattered excitedly and everyone clapped happily when Mark declared the date.

Jackson smelled heavily of Mark, so much that his father grimaced when he hugged him.

“That’s too strong a scent, Alpha. I wonder where you scented him,” he commented before breaking into fits of laughter with the others in the room.

“Dadddddd…” Jackson whined and moved away, hiding behind his mother for good measure.

“Mark can be a demon about that. We know him. I am sorry dear brother-in-law. He’s gonna give you a lot of pain in this union,” Mark’s brother snickered and Jackson did not surface.

“It’s getting late. We must have dinner. Boys, come on. Better leave your titles behind and help your mother,” Mrs Tuan called out and the three boys, including Mark, rushed to the kitchen to help her with the plates. Jackson immediately went too. He couldn’t just sit around and be served!

“Oh dear, you don’t have to! The three of them are enough. You just sit-” she looked at Jackson in surprise.

“Mrs Tuan, I cannot. I help my mother every day, I can also help you,” he smiled at her warmly and she came to hug him close, petting his back and head lovingly.

“You are such a sweet boy, Jackson. Our Mark is so lucky to have you and us too,” she let him go and they quickly moved around one another to cook after they had scrubbed their hands clean.

“Can I help too?” Mrs Wang made her way to the already crowded kitchen and the mothers got to talking about what to make.

Dinner was done happily, everybody sharing the food, talking about mundane things, sharing stories about their families and happy marriages that the bowl had matched. Mark had not said a word or looked Jackson’s way. Jackson had consciously not talked to him or given him attention but instead taken an instant liking to Mark’s brother. He was so unlike Mark. He was warm and happy, very genuine and forthcoming.

Mark’s friend Jaebeom kept on whispering into Mark’s ear about something, what, Jackson didn’t know or care about. Everyone sitting around the table made him feel welcome except for Mark and if the elder thought he didn’t notice it, he was wrong. Had his behaviour in the woods driven Mark mad? Yes, his wolf had gone a bit overboard but so had Mark! Jackson had never been physically intimidated by anyone in his family. It was just not how the alphas in his family were. He didn’t know which part of Mark to believe. The man had not been warm or gentle with him since the very beginning of their meeting. Whatever intimacy the elder had initiated could still be wolf instinct. The things Mark had said while scenting him had not been romantic or sweet, instead they were an expression of disbelief and confusion.

However, he knew that each Alpha reacted differently to seeing their mate for the first time. May be being a powerful Alpha made Mark the way he was. May be getting over the fact that he wasn’t a woman who could give him pups was going to take time. May be Mark was just as excited about this union as he was but couldn’t show it properly? Jackson’s heart beat loudly as all the possibilities of why the elder didn’t behave like a keen wolf crossed his mind. May be this was how it was supposed to start. Mark would mellow down once they were bonded, even more once they mated…once he lodged his knot in him…

“Hey, are you okay? Why are you so red?” Mark’s brother tapped his shoulder lightly and he dropped the fork he was holding out of sheer embarrassment.

He fumbled to pick it and when he did, he met Mark’s eyes for a brief second. Could Mark possibly know what he was thinking? No, he just couldn’t. He wasn’t bound to Mark yet. There was just no way he gauged his thoughts. He immediately looked away and smiled at Joey, resuming their conversation and simply forgetting the reason for his own distress. But his heart hurt. It hurt in the most unusual way. His wolf silently curled inside him, seeking comfort of his conscious and he felt like there was no knowing who hurt more.

Mark’s mom had served delicious dessert and Jackson really wanted to know how she had made it. He went and hugged her, wrapping his arms around her sideways and she rubbed his arm affectionately. She was happy to share her recipe with him and he told her about his and Jinyoung’s special ice-cream cup dessert. He felt happy knowing that even if Mark wasn’t keen, his family was. Everyone around him was warm and happy. He thrived on that love and attention and hoped for the best outcome. He didn’t know what was in store for him but right in that moment he knew his fate was sealed. He knew the moment he had set his eyes on Mark’s gigantic, fuzzy, brown wolf form, he had fallen in love. He had promised his everything to Mark already and he just couldn’t turn back. May be that was all he needed to hold on to.

It was a little over nine when the Wangs got up to leave. Mark lingered as they stepped out. Jackson could feel his presence looming behind him but didn’t choose to turn back or say anything. When they got to their car, the mothers were still in conversation about things Jackson couldn’t understand because of their giggles while the fathers were shaking hands and talking in whispers. Jaebeom and Joey were checking something on their phone and silently snickering. Jackson didn’t want to give Mark the idea that he wanted to talk to him or say goodbye to him because it would hurt to say bye. His wolf was already restless and gnawing at him because he didn’t know when he was going to see the elder next.

Mark had walked to Jackson silently but the boy hadn’t reacted or looked at him. The elder crept behind him, resting against the rear of the SUV as Jackson stood holding the door open, ready to get in. Mark moved closer, keeping a keen eye on everyone in front of them. The door was a perfect cover because Mark had curled his hand around Jackson’s waist gently and pulled him back a bit so he was effectively being loosely back hugged with an arm. Jackson froze, unsure how to react because everyone was right there, busy but right there. His face was red, he was sure of it.

“What are you doing?” he whisper yelled as he turned back, trying to push Mark’s arm away. It only tightened around him as he felt Mark move closer, carefully eyeing everyone in front of them. From afar it must look like Mark was standing right behind Jackson, thanks to the door still covering them.

“Can’t wait to marry you,” Mark whispered close to his ear and Jackson abruptly turned around in his arm.

“What?” he asked staring at Mark’s face. He was sure he had heard it wrong.

“I can’t wait to marry you, Jackson. Please know that,” he whispered.

Jackson bit his lip, trying hard to not let any emotion show on his face. Mark did sound genuine, why he sounded like that, he didn’t know but his voice and his face showed some emotion and Jackson felt like his heart was full.

“Alpha…” tears quickly brimmed in his eyes and he gulped audibly, wiping at his eyes quickly.

“I don’t know what to say…”

“Don’t then. I will come see you sometime this week…”

“But-”

“I will come scent you. I promise I won’t hurt you like I did today. I won’t ever let that happen again.” He pulled the boy closer, hugging him properly. Just then a wolf whistle was heard. Mark still held him in his arms, not really caring that all eyes were on them. Jackson squeaked when he realized that Joey was in fact saying something on the lines of ‘have to tolerate this disgustingly sweet display of affection from a cold hearted Alpha like our Mark’. That’s when he pushed the man away and yelled for his mother to go. He hurriedly got into the car and shut the door, effectively making Mark step away immediately. He then was flat on the back seat, hiding his face and curling around himself so nobody could see him. Why would Mark behave like that? He just didn’t get the duality of the man. He heard a knock on the window and looked up. Mark was waving at him with a hint of a smile on his face. His eyes widened because this was the first time ever since he saw Mark that the elder was trying to smile. It made him feel too much and before he knew it, he was smiling wide, his eyes making way to tears again because Mark had him breathless in a good way even when he felt hopeless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mark has a lot on his mind. He is not a bad person but he is selfish. He wants what he wants and he has had it ever since he was born. So, when he strays his road, he's just doing that because he doesn't know what to do but act out. He doesn't know how long he is going to fake. Mark needs Jackson because if he doesn't have a mate, he will start losing his powers. If you have any doubts, just ask me. I know the whole concept is a bit too much but I wanted to put my original ideas into it. The ideas may be too much to take in a go but trust me, I will try to present them better in the future. It's okay if some of these ideas made you cringe or laugh hard. lol.
> 
> Thanks for reading. Leave comments. <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark's a mess.  
> Jackson's a mess.  
> Jinyoung's a mess.  
> Mess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting at 2.55am so forgive any typos. thank you for the amazing comments. I will definitely reply them tomorrow. i hope you enjoy this chapter too. i had to change it twice to make it acceptable and non-cliche.
> 
> xx

The ride back home was quiet except for a few questions Mama Wang asked him. Jackson was curled up on the back seat, breathing in Mark’s scent and dozing on and off because of how the entire day had taxed him. He wasn’t tired or in pain, it was just that he wanted to shut himself to the world for a bit, be in his wolf’s company and dissolve what little feelings of unrest were coiling around his heart. He thought he deserved that solace. He very much wanted to trust Mark because the elder had shown some effort when they had parted. He understood that if someone was giving up on a dream they had since a long time, it wouldn’t be easy. He would make Mark fall in love with him, he would make him see that having him as a mate wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be. It was just that, like any other omega who had found his alpha, he had expected to be loved and adored at the very instant his alpha saw him. You win some, you lose some. His win was definitely Mark’s family and Mark’s wolf. Fie had confided in him through the images he had shown him. Mark’s wolf was very much in harmony with his and he considered it as a very important win.

When he reached home, the first thing he did was call Jinyoung. He couldn’t stop himself from outright sharing exactly what had happened, except of course, the details of how Mark had scented him or choked him in the woods, or how he had held him close in front of everyone and told him he was eager to get married to him.

“What the hell! He is so weird. Sseunie, did he hurt you?” Jinyoung had asked immediately after Jackson had told him how closed off Mark had been to him. “Be honest with me, I will sense it when I see you. Fie will tell me the truth. He won’t be able to hide it from Prince, so you better tell me now,” he had asked strictly and Jackson’s breathing got laboured as he remembered how Mark had treated him in the woods.

“Umm…he sorta…” he couldn’t finish. He felt his heart constrict at the memory. It wasn’t the action of being choked but the emotion behind the action that bothered Jackson. He had only laughed at the elder and he was treated like that. He didn’t know how to feel about that. Jackson was always told that he had a very endearing laugh. May be the Alpha did not agree with it or the mere thought of being laughed at by an omega was what bothered him?

“Jackson! What the hell did he do?” Jinyoung yelled into the phone and he came back to reality.

“He choked me.” He took a sharp breath in and waited for Jinyoung to say something. The silence on the other end was making him very nervous and upset. “Jinyoungie?” he cowered because Jinyoung could be a handful when angry.

“Oh my God. I cannot believe this. I will beat his ass for this. Shame on him for behaving like that with you. How could you tolerate that, Jackson? How was Fie okay with that? Oh God I am going to-”

“Calm down, tiger. He’s an Alpha. You definitely won’t be able to beat his ass. He said sometimes it was hard for him to control his emotions? He apologized and promised it would never happen again. If it does, I will see what to do about it. If he thinks I am a measly omega who’s gonna tolerate this abuse then he is so wrong,” Jackson finished. Although it didn’t make him happy to think about Mark that way.

“Did you tell mom and dad? I am sure you didn’t. Everything would have come crashing down if you did. You said he scented you? Did he force-”

“No, God no. He’s not a barbarian, Jinyoung, God. Stop with the worst assumptions, will you? He just…well…I can’t tell you what he did to scent me…it was-”

“Too intimate? Before marriage? And you allowed him?”

“He’s my mate!”

“Fine, go lie with him then. I did not like you being so complacent with him, Jackson. You are not expected to reciprocate his advances, you know that! If he treated you hot and cold, you could have done the same! I don’t believe it, you forgot all the principles of alpha seduction that we were taught at the academy!”

“It wasn’t alpha seduction, you moron, it was ideal omega behaviour!”

“It’s just a sophisticated term for seduction! You know it was always about teaching omegas to seduce their alphas! Holy Bay, you are just so dumb,” he clicked his tongue and huffed.

“No more. Make him work for it, for your love and affection. If he made you doubt the union chosen by the old wolves, then make him see that you are special and chosen for a reason. You are so gullible with him, eww.”

“It’s not a small thing to be matched with a man who can’t give you pups, Jinyoung. He has every reason to be upset with this union and, in turn, with me. Don’t you think so?”

“I am sorry but it’s been years since male alphas have been matched with male omegas. He needs to wake the fuck up.”

“None of the alphas in his family were ever matched with male omegas, Jinyoung.”

“How is it your fault? Does he want to disregard the bowl now?”

“Can you stop yelling? Just come over tomorrow and we will talk more. I am so tired and-”

“What kinda clothes did he give you though? I am going to judge his ass so hard based on what he gave you. He’s a rich motherfucker, so he better have given you a good suit or a dress shirt or I don’t know, something good! What did he give you?”

Jackson went quiet at that. He hugged the t-shirt close and sniffed it, the scent instantly reminding him of Mark.

“He gave me an old t-shirt? But because it’s old and used a lot, his scent is really stron-”

“It’s official. Your mate sucks. See you tomorrow, you gullible little piece of wolf shit.” Jinyoung hung up and Jackson huffed.

Sleep didn’t come easy that night. Fie kept on showing him Mark and his wolf, time and again, just because he was restless too. There was a small barrier in between the human and wolf emotions. Jackson’s feelings were not completely bared to Fie. But this barrier would be eliminated once he was mated with Mark. The bite would make them into one single entity, eliminating the barrier forever. It was put into place so the omega could control his wolf better because the wolf always drew power from human emotions. Once the Alpha claimed the omega, the wolf was answerable to him and in turn, much more pliant to the omega. Even if Fie didn’t exactly know how Jackson felt, he had an inkling. He was smart and sympathized with the boy. He wished he could tell him about being a prime and how pain would always be a part of his life, but he restrained from it. Jackson had already had enough for the day.

**

Jinyoung had come storming to his room the next morning. They had spoken for hours about how Mark had behaved and Jinyoung had gotten increasing violent and bad mouthed as Jackson told him his own observations. Sometimes, it scared Jackson to think how Jinyoung was going to be when he would get matched with his own Alpha. Jinyoung was too strong an omega, had a very bad mouth and a penchant of giving it straight to people without giving two shits. It was something Jackson admired a lot in his best friend. Even Prince was a very no-nonsense kind of a wolf so it was like they were perfectly in sync with each other.

“So, has he called you yet?”

Jackson blanched at that. He and Mark had definitely not exchanged numbers and he wasn’t sure about the elder having his house number.

“WOW! He didn’t even call? Unbelievable. I swear to the Holy Bay, I will kick his Alpha ass without any remorse,” Jinyoung seethed and hugged him close. Jackson felt sorry for himself that he wasn’t experiencing what any other matched omega would normally experience- the thrill of having an eager Alpha!

“May be he will? I just met him yesterday! God, you are so rude to him,” Jackson complained in a small voice but enjoyed being held in a tight embrace. Jinyoung smelled like wild lilies and peaches, calming him in a way only he could.

“I love you, Jackson. And I know how much you wanted this to be different for you. I worry. He’s a jackass,” Jinyoung planted quick kisses on his head and sighed.

“Heyyyy…don’t call my Alpha a jackass,” he looked up at his best friend and pouted.

“Ugh, what else do I call a jackass then?”

**

It had been four days since Jackson had met Mark but the elder hadn’t gotten in touch with him. His parents found it weird too but they told themselves that Mark was still adjusting to the news of being matched with a man. Jackson felt like they knew something about Mark that he didn’t. When he tried to fish for some information, he was cut off and told that some things would be privy to him only when he would become a part of Mark’s pack.

Jackson hadn’t left the house. He had been cooped up in his room most of the time after he was done with his fitness routine. His intake had to be increased for Mark’s bite and his mother wouldn’t stop feeding him this and that for the same. His father would be at the defence headquarters all day, his hours had increased, why, Jackson didn’t know or ask. It meant Jackson couldn’t step out of the house because his father couldn’t accompany him.

Jinyoung had been busy with his editing job so they hadn’t met in the past two days. When he received a call from the boy, he was ecstatic because he was bored to death.

“Wanna go out? I will bring hyung with me so aunty will allow us. How about we go have some buckwheat noodles? I am craving them since two days,” Jinyoung had asked excitedly.

“Only if you treat me!”

“Deal. I will be there in twenty minutes.”

Jackson rushed out of his room, excited and happy but his mother was a bit sceptical about letting him go.

“But he has scented me and Jinyoung’s hyung will be with us. Please mom, I am so bored at home and Dad doesn’t get home on time as well. Please. I will be back before you know it. I will be in touch too. You never stopped me before, mom. His hyung is gonna be with us, pleaseeeeeee,” he whined so his mother finally relented, although not very happily.

“Be back in two hours. I don’t want your father to worry. Now we have two reputations to uphold,” she said worriedly.

“Nobody knows about the wedding yet. What are you even saying,” he whined as he started climbing the stairs.

“We don’t know if Mark’s family has shared the news with someone. We have to be careful, okay? Just come back before 9. Please,” she yelled after him.

When he got dressed, he realized he faintly smelled of Mark still. He had been wearing the shirt to sleep every night. An Alpha’s scent on his omega was pervasive, breaking into his existence and stubbornly sticking to it. But it wasn’t going to hold long since they weren’t mated. It was not like Jackson would lose his scent forever, but it would mature in a way. It would be a combination of Mark’s and his scent. A dominant top note would be that of Mark’s while his would remain gentle and entwined with his Alpha’s. Just the thought of being bound to Mark like that made him smile.

 _“It has weakened considerably. You should be careful,”_ his wolf muttered.

“As long as you are with me, I am so strong and I am well trained. Also, Jinyoung is gonna be with me along with his brother. You are sounding unsure, what’s up?”

 _“Nothing. I just feel…weird.”_ The wolf’s voice wasn’t teasing or happy like usual but lonely and whiny.

“I know you miss him…I do too. But, I guess he doesn’t miss us. I am sorry Fie. I just hope he isn’t finding ways to not let this union happen,” Jackson breathed heavily, just the thought making his skin crawl. A sudden sadness set in and both he and his wolf tried not to get drawn into it.

Jackson was ready in his favourite black button down and tight jeans. It was a simple outfit. He put on his watch and wore a bracelet on his right wrist. There would soon be a branding on his wrist so he rubbed at the skin lovingly. No matter how gloomy he felt, the impending marriage had his emotions heightened. The excitement of being married was there even if it was clouded now and then by new realizations.

“You smell disgustingly sweet,” Jinyoung walked in, not really bothering to knock. “Is this because of the wedding? You almost smell like you will go into heat, what the fucking hell. You don’t smell like that jackass much,” he grunted and Jackson threw his hairbrush at his head.

“If mom hears you, you will never hear the end of it, young-ah,” he chastised the boy.

Jinyoung snorted. “Prince says, you look good, especially the curve of your ass.”

“Can Prince shut up and act like an omega for a change?”

“Ah well, there’s no rule that says omegas cannot appreciate other omegas and their assets,” Jinyoung threw him a flying kiss and Jackson shook his head.

“Let’s leave. I have to-”

“Yeah yeah, get back by 9. Aunty bombarded me and hyung with instructions the moment she saw us.”

**

The place was full of people, so much that Jackson felt his head spin.

“Holy Bay, this place looks full. Excuse me, we need a table for three?” Jinyoung politely gestured to an usher and she bowed.

“Sir, you will have to wait, I am afraid. We are at full capacity right now. I will call on you the moment we have a table for you. In the meanwhile, you can wait in the waiting area right there,” she pointed towards the area beside the entrance which was stocked with books and music cds.

“Hyun Sik hyung, let’s go check some music out,” Jinyoung wrapped his arm around his brother and the three of them walked towards the small section of music cds.

Jackson wandered towards the book shelf because something had caught his eyes.

“JACKSON!” Jinyoung’s brother called after him in warning.

“I am right here, hyung. Not moving out of here without you,” he assured and moved to pick up a book titled ‘Theories on Omega Primes- A Mystery of the Modern Times’. He quickly started scanning the book with interest. They weren’t taught much about omega primes at the academy because they were regarded as an abnormality. However, every omega thought primes were really cool.

“Hi,” a stranger spoke to him softly and he immediately turned around, shutting the book and quickly shoving it back in the shelf. He never spoke to strangers so he did not respond. He tried to find Jinyoung and his brother but they both had headphones on so he started walking towards them until he felt fingers wrap around his wrist.

Jackson could immediately feel the Alpha touch and his senses heightened. He turned around slowly, trying hard to get his hand free.

“Here alone? Wanna join us?” the stranger pointed towards a group of guys standing by the corner. When Jackson looked in their direction, they smiled.

“I am sorry, Alpha. I am here with someone, please let me go,” he tried to get his hand free.

“You smell really sweet. What’s your name?” the man tightened his grip on his wrist and Jackson writhed. The waiting area was full of people but nobody was really paying attention to a rusty book corner where Jackson was. He turned to look at Jinyoung and his brother who were still busy listening to something on headphones.

“Alpha, please. I am betrothed. I am sorry. Please let me go,” he had his eyes downcast as he said that.

“Where is your Alpha? I don’t smell him on you. Just a faint whiff may be? Did he lose interest in you? Aren’t you smelling like this to attract a newer, better Alpha?” he drawled as he pulled Jackson closer, making the boy lose his balance and stumble forward, hitting his head on the Alpha’s shoulder. He yelped but it was muffled by the sound of the people moving around and talking to each other.

“No. I am betrothed to an Alpha. Please let me go. I have been already matched by the bowl-”

“I don’t really care about that. It’s your Alpha’s fault for leaving you alone like this,” he wrapped his arm around Jackson’s waist and pulled him closer, making the younger lose his patience, his self-preservation skills rapidly kicking in.

He pushed at the Alpha with all his strength but couldn’t do much damage. The Alpha was powerful, it was evident from his stance and his body. His eyes shined red as he snickered.

“I am betrothed to a Tuan so please be careful of how you act, Alpha,” Jackson growled, his own wolf showing through his eyes.

The Alpha faltered at the mention of the Tuan name for a bit, scanning the area carefully, fervently sniffing the air to confirm if any of the Tuan alphas were around. When he was sure he couldn’t pick on a scent that matched the whiff from Jackson, he confidently strode forward.

“I see. But none of them are around you, why is that? You are still unmated, aren’t you little omega? May be we can have a little fun of our own?” he grabbed Jackson’s wrist again and twisted it harshly.

“NO. Please, let me go. JINYOUNG!” he yelled, attracting attention of the crowd. The commotion got Jinyoung to turn around and he panicked, quickly throwing the headphones away and running towards Jackson with his hyung.

“Alpha,” Jackson whined, directly looking at Jinyoung’s brother. The man understood and quickly went to stand beside him.

“This is a betrothed omega, let him go,” he spoke angrily as he tried to get Jackson’s hand free. “Do not attract a pack conflict, Alpha. I am asking you politely, let this omega go. You do not want to fight his mate or his pack,” he growled, attracting even more attention.

“I do not heed you, whoever the fuck you are, move away before my pack rips you into shreds right here. This omega is coming with me. If he was so precious, then his Alpha should have marked him heavily. He smells like a goddamn meal! Why shouldn’t I have a taste if he has been left attended by his own Alpha?”

“This is a mistake. You are inviting ire of two powerful packs here. Make it three. I will protect this omega without any restraint, move away right now, or I challenge you to a pack fight,” Jinyoung’s brother kissed the branding on his arm and howled loudly. His eyes shined a bright red and his claws came out, making the people around them scatter a bit. Conflicts still brought back terrible memories for many so they quickly started to leave the place, not wanting to be a part or be a witness to any kind of bloodbath.

The man growled in return, his pack mates quickly gathered around him, their eyes ablaze and claws out, ready to fight. Jackson jerked the Alpha’s hand hard before clamouring behind Jinyoung’s brother. Jinyoung had held him close as they both took shelter behind his broad back.

The Alphas were standing in a fighting stance, keenly waiting for a move to be made. Even if Jackson and Jinyoung tried to help Hyun Sik, they couldn’t do much because they didn’t belong to the same pack. The elder had called for his pack but it was obvious that they would need time to get here from wherever they were.

Jinyoung hoped that his cousins and Hyun Sik’s other pack mates would get here in time before this all got out of hand.

The restaurant personnel tried to calm the matter down but it was clear that a challenge placed by an Alpha to another was not theirs to stop. It was rule to never interfere in a challenge.  

“It’s against rules to lay a hand on a betrothed omega. Why are you so keen on this?” Hyuk Sik stood tall in front of the Alpha, growling, grinding his teeth in seething anger.

“I take what I want and when I want it,” the man answered, his pack slowly crowding around Hyun Sik and the boys. Just then they heard a distant howl which made Jinyoung clutch Jackson tighter. Jackson’s heart flip-flopped and he suddenly remembered that his wolf had been restless all the while they were here.

“Fie? Why are we not strong today? Are you not okay? I couldn’t even tackle the man,” Jackson asked nervously.

His wolf only whined in return. It sounded painful and Jackson felt like he was going to have to do something about it.

Five wolves entered the waiting area, in their wolf forms, teeth bared, crouching and grunting. They immediately surrounded Jinyoung and Jackson protectively and Jackson’s wolf relaxed at their presence. The arrival of the wolves made the other Alpha’s pack mates shift instantly. Jackson could clearly feel the presence of more than four alphas in his vicinity and his hair stood on end at the sheer power that resonated in the place. The restaurant staff did not bother to try to stop them anymore, just closed off the area from the actual restaurant with a loud thud of wooden doors. Only the pack alphas remained in their human form.

“This will be a fight you will regret. The omega’s father will hunt you and your pack down for revenge. You fucking touched him. If his Alpha gets to know of it, he will come after you too. Good luck fighting a pack of true alphas, you sick psycho! I am still giving you a chance to back off, you will regret this for a long, long time, Alpha,” Hyun Sik tried to salvage the situation before his wolf took over. He had seen Jackson and Jinyoung grow, protected them through their growth spurts and heat cycles. He wasn’t going to show any mercy. Jackson was his little brother and nobody could just lay a hand on him.

The Alpha in front of him raised his snout in the air and fervently sniffed, humming at the sweet scent wafting off of Jackson. It had somehow sweetened even more because of fear and his inherently submissive nature. Jackson himself couldn’t sense Mark’s scent on himself anymore.

“He smells so sweet, I am so hard right now. I am not giving up. I am not some random Alpha, you fool. I can fight any pack that challenges me. I am not afraid of anyone. I will have that omega writhing under me,” he seethed and Jackson whimpered. He hugged Jinyoung closer and the wolves tightened their circle around them.

Jackson felt his body heat up just at the thought of being touched by any Alpha other than Mark. His wolf saw red while it trembled in fear, his powers somehow not being to the optimum.

 _“True Alpha Blood…you chose me…why? Why me? Why Ga and me? It hurts…old wolves…its hurts me…why am I being put through this…Alpha…it hurts…I am so weak, Alpha…I am so scared…I can’t smell you anymore…I feel incomplete…your blood chose me…why me?”_ the wolf cried desperately. Jinyoung stiffened around him so did two omegas who stood close by them. It was an omega thing to sense each other’s distress.

Jackson saw images of Mark, his wolf form flash in front of his eyes fast, his house, his family and the bowl, the drops of blood trickling from Mark’s wrist and falling into it, mixing with thick red blood from so many other omegas. He felt his own blood thrum at the visual he was seeing, his own blood stirring with Mark’s, vanishing into the red of the bowl. His body continued to heat up even more, he could feel his scent thicken. It was inherent omega nature to try and attract his Alpha by giving off an inviting scent but Jackson knew this wasn’t the situation since Mark wasn’t around.

“Fie…stop…you will rile up the other Alphas, please, why are you doing this?” he cried to his wolf but he was out of control.

 _“Alpha, Alpha,”_ the wolf whimpered, making the omegas around him lose their composure and huddle in closer.

The pack Alpha finally attacked Hyun Sik because Jackson smelled too sweet for him to hold back. The wolves sprang into action as they clashed against one another, naturally gravitating to someone who was equal to their power. Jinyoung and Jackson ran to a corner and held each other close. Jinyoung quickly took out his phone and handed it to Jackson.

“Call Uncle. Tell him to come here with his pack down here. Hyun Sik hyung may not be able to-”

A loud, reverberating howl was heard and Jackson almost fainted, dropping the phone instantly and putting his head on Jinyoung’s shoulder.

“Mark…Mark is here. He’s around, I need to go outside, Jinyoung take me out,” he grabbed the boy’s collar and cried. His wolf had taken over and his claws had come out.

“We can’t! They won’t let us…”

The wolves continued fighting, blood spilled, the grunts became louder and fiercer with each passing minute but Jackson ached to go out. He wanted Mark to know he was here, he wanted him to find him.

 _“Jinyoung please, I cannot howl or I would. I feel so weak. Just drag me out, I will shift if they attack us. Please Jinyoung, I am burning up,”_ Fie directly spoke to him and Prince writhed at the request that came from deep inside Jackson’s chest.

“Hyung,” he whispered to the omega who closest to him, guarding them as the betas and Alphas engaged. “Cover for us, I need to take him out. He says his mate is close,” Jinyoung whispered and the omega stared at the fight going on in front of him. The yellow of his wolf shined brighter and he tilted his head in affirmative. Jinyoung tightly wrapped his arm around Jackson’s waist sideways and they started slowly crawling on all fours towards the door.

A piercing cry from one of the pack mates of the other Alpha made them stop short. Hyun Sik had clawed at the wolf right in his neck, the blood that oozed out made all his pack mates whine in pain and the whole room reeked of blood.

They rushed because the fight had gotten intense to the point of all the wolves were only concentrating on each other’s movements. Jinyoung dragged Jackson as fast as he could towards the door and once they were out, Jackson crashed on his back, breathless and unable to understand what was wrong with him. His claws had come out and his body felt like it wanted to shift but he didn’t have enough strength to.

“Fie? What happened?” Jackson asked worriedly because he had never felt so weak ever before.

_“He smelled our distress, his wolf did. I don’t believe it. How can he? I was only thinking about him when you were touched…oh God that means…”_

“What does that mean?”

_“His bond is possessive and he doesn’t even know. He’s mad and he doesn’t know why.”_

“We are not bonded yet, Fie.”

_“His scent is bonded with mine. It’s still a form of a bond willingly accepted by him and me so it’s in effect. Even his scent bond is so strong.”_

“If it is then why wasn’t he here when he sensed our distress? I don’t get it. He still isn’t here, so much for being possessive.” Jackson angrily got up, not really caring that his body was weak. He stumbled a bit before Jinyoung held onto him.

The whines and grunts from inside the restaurant were getting harrowing to the point that Jackson felt like puking. He didn’t feel good. He was angry, upset, scared, weak and a lot of things. A final, loud whine later, an eerie silence set in. Hyun Sik and his pack walked out, blood soaked, injured but victorious and Jackson couldn’t help but run to the man and hug him tightly. There was a big gash on his neck, claw marks on his arm and a swollen eye but otherwise he looked well when Jackson surveyed him top to bottom.

“Are you okay? You didn’t have to-”

“We will heal. Don’t worry. I gave my word to your mother that I would take care of you. Haven’t I always? Are you okay? You look like you are in a bad shape,” he patted the boy’s head and walked him to the car.

“Did you…?”

“I broke his ribs and his wrist. His pack is too weak. They couldn’t stand a chance against us. Looks like he is new around here, such a brat for an Alpha. They lose powers over time for being like this,” he added and Jackson breathed a sigh of relief that nobody had died because of him.

“I am sorry we couldn’t eat. I called your father. He is going to take care of the mess that has happened here. Let’s get goi-”

A low growl sounded from behind the trees of the parking lot and Hyun Sik’s pack were on a high alert. The growl soon turned into a long howl followed by many howls, shaking Jackson’s whole existence. He was on his knees again, weak and writhing at how his body felt.

“Jackson! What happened? Are you okay? Is it your mate?” Hyun Sik shook him by the shoulders and he finally found the energy to nod. “You called him here? How?”

“Scent bond. His wolf said even his scent bond is too strong,” Jinyoung added before holding Jackson close and looking in the direction of the trees where some shuffling was going on.

“Jackson…ummm…” Jinyoung looked at him with fear in his eyes because they didn’t know what to expect. One of the omegas from Hyun Sik’s pack gave Jackson some water to drink and patted his back. He was able to stand up after a little effort.

Mark walked out of the tree cover wearing a thread bare tank and a pair of shorts. It looked like he had shifted back to his human form and put on whatever spare clothes he had found. The others, Joey and Jaebeom were still in their wolf forms and three more wolves who Jackson didn’t recognize walked behind at a good distance.

“Are you alright?” he asked even before he could reach Jackson. His claws had come out immediately when he sensed many Alphas close to Jackson but they receded the minute he realized that Jackson’s wolf was in harmony with the others around him.

Jackson didn’t answer. He didn’t want to. Mark reached him and cupped his face, looking him up and down. He grimaced as he smelled the scent of two different Alphas on him.

“You reek.” His jaw jutted out angrily and his eyes shined red. “Why do you reek?”

Jackson was still quiet. Jinyoung fidgeted around him before dutifully moving to stand behind his brother, not wanting to be subject to an Alpha’s ire. However, he couldn’t help but stare at the majestic wolves that silently stood behind Mark. He then remembered he couldn’t do that, not unless he was a shameless omega. He bunched his brother’s clothes from behind and hid his nose in his back, smelling a familiar Alpha scent to calm Prince down.

“I asked you something,” Mark’s voice was strict and Jackson cowered, making Jinyoung move behind Hyun Sik uncomfortably. Anger was building inside him because he was clearly witnessing how Mark was treating his best friend. There was only so much patience he had for this kind of bullshit. He prayed hard to the old wolves so that he remained calm.

“This is Jinyoung’s cousin. I hugged him so you can smell him on me. He fought for my honour like a righteous Alpha that he is. I would hug him all over again for what he did for me,” Jackson stated flatly. “As for the other scent, that’s from an Alpha who tried to have his way with me because quote, ‘It’s your Alpha’s fault that he has left you unattended. Why can’t I have a taste?’ okay? Have I answered all your questions, Alpha? Am I allowed to go home now?” he finished silently but his tone was vicious, full of anger and disappointment so strong that the wolves behind Mark moved in their spot uncomfortably.

“Hug him all over again?” Mark growled. “Someone tried to have their way with you and taste you?” His claws were out again, his body arching with an urge to shift. Jackson did not react one bit.

“Yes. You were supposed to scent me but I guess you had no time for it. So, yeah. Someone tried that with me and Jinyoung’s brother saved me. You didn’t get here in time even when you sensed my distress.”

“IS THIS HOW YOU TALK TO YOUR ALPHA?” Mark grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. That’s when Jinyoung lost it. His wolf said, fuck it!

“DON’T YOU DARE ABUSE HIM, ALPHA!” he came storming from behind his brother and stood beside Jackson, baring his teeth, face scrunched up angrily and eyes viciously yellow. “If you showed up here like you should have when you sensed he was in fucking distress, he wouldn’t be in this state! Why didn’t you scent him in time? You didn’t do your job to protect him and now you have the audacity to ask him about his manners?”

“Jinyoung…” Jackson muttered before putting his arm around him in order to calm him but he knew it was useless when he sensed Prince all riled up.

Mark growled angrily, so loudly that all his packmates gathered close to him and Hyun Sik’s pack took a step back. Hyun Sik tried to pull Jinyoung away but the boy did not budge, still standing strong beside his best friend.

“You have no right to talk to me, omega. I do not heed your presence-”

“Don’t be rude to him, Alpha.” Jackson cut him off and Mark blanched. His authority was close to nothing in that moment and it riled his human-self up. Always used to being heeded and respected, Mark was hit in the face by blatant rebellion and rudeness in front of his pack and other wolves who apparently had done his job for him by protecting his mate from a lecherous Alpha. Could this get any more embarrassing?

“I want to go home. Thank you for showing up here. I am in safe hands now. Thank you for coming to check up on me,” Jackson courtesy bowed to Mark and the pack. The wolves stared back at him, unmoving and unwavering.

“You are coming with me,” Mark said, not really leaving any room for argument but Jinyoung wasn’t having any of it.

“We are taking him home. If you want to see him so much, please follow us there. I am not letting him go anywhere when he is so weak and distraught.”

“I DO NOT NEED YOUR PERMISSION TO TAKE MY OMEGA WHEREVER THE HELL I WANT,” Mark seethed as he moved ahead to grab Jackson by the wrist. “Alpha, warn your little omega brother to stay in his line or he will regret it,” he finally grabbed hold of Jackson’s wrist but Jackson did not move from his spot.

“YOU STILL HAVENT CLAIMED HIM NOR ARE YOU SHOWING ANY INCLINATION TO CARE FOR HIM OR LOVE HIM.” Jinyoung seethed back, entwining his fingers with Jackson’s other hand. Mark frowned, rubbing his temple vigorously to calm himself down. This was so unlike anything he had ever experienced in his life. First, he didn’t know why his wolf was so angry and acting out while in the middle of a hunt and then he was seeing images of Jackson, his blood, his wolf whimpering. He was mad and upset and restless so he had to retreat, shift and regroup with his pack to figure out what was wrong. That’s when his father had told him that probably Jackson was in some kind of distress. Mark had panicked and tried to communicate with is wolf but Boo was too mad to respond to him. He had concentrated on his senses and tried to pinpoint Jackson’s location and rushed with his entire pack towards it. It had been too difficult when his wolf wasn’t co-operating but he still had kept his head straight. No matter what, he didn’t want Jackson hurt. He wanted the marriage to go through without incident. 

“I got here as fast as I could. I know I was late but I was on a hunt deep inside the woods. I rushed here the moment my wolf thrashed inside me violently. Why should I have to prove myself like this in front of so many people, Jackson?”

“You don’t. I am going home with Jinyoung and his brothers. Like I said, thank you for coming here. If you find time and the will, please come scent me. I like going out a lot so I don’t want to be devoid of that liberty. So please,” he pleaded, not really looking into Mark’s eyes.

“Jackson…I…” Mark hesitated when he looked at the many people around him. “I am going to follow you home then.” He pulled out his phone and told his father about the whole situation. He spoke calmly, his eyes not leaving Jackson’s weak form even for a minute. “Yes. I will go with him. Yes Pa, Holy Bay! I know. I know, I will,” he sighed yet again before hanging up.

“I will get my car. Guys, head back home. I will see you later,” he turned to look at his pack mates. They stayed put so Mark sighed again. He walked towards them and got on his knees. “I am sorry,” he whispered. Jackson didn’t know what he was apologizing for but it looked serious. He bared his neck and the wolves licked it in earnest one after the other, making him groan at the sensation. He planted a kiss on their muzzles before they huddled close to him, licking his face and growling lowly. “I know. I am sorry,” he repeated. “See you at home. I will do it, yes, yes.” He nodded and pushed them to go. They finally ran off in a close formation.

“Alpha, after you,” he bowed to Jinyoung’s brother, who was taken aback by suddenly being addressed. He nodded and went on to get his car. His pack rushed off just like Mark’s after nuzzling into his palm.

“Will you come in my-” Mark had asked Jackson softly before being cut off by Jinyoung.

“Don’t even.” Jinyoung pulled Jackson away and Mark rolled his eyes before letting out a low growl.

The ride home was silent, full of tension but Jackson had put his head in Jinyoung’s lap and curled onto himself, choosing not to address anything.

“He’s hopeless. Oh God, he’s completely hopeless.” Jinyoung had commented but Jackson had just nuzzled into his stomach and chosen to remain silent. Jinyoung’s brother had given Jinyoung a piece of his mind about not having any manners but Jinyoung had sworn he would do the same if Mark hurt Jackson again. Hyun Sik had just quit after that.

They had reached Jackson’s home after a thirty minute drive. Jackson had trudged himself in with Jinyoung’s support. Mark had parked his car inside and gotten out really fast to follow after them. Mr Wang was already waiting for them. Mark immediately got on his knees to seek blessings of Jackson’s parents. He had quickly sought permission to be in their territory and Mr Wang had readily granted it.

After making sure Jackson was okay, his parents expressed deep gratitude to Hyun Sik and his pack. Jinyoung took Jackson away to his room without really caring about Mark or his parents. He didn’t care about anybody else when Jackson needed him.

“We will share our hunt with your pack in solidarity, Sik-ah. Please get the boys here this weekend.”

“That’s not necess-”

“Oh come on! You saved my boy. It’s the least I can do. I am really surprised how he didn’t protect himself today. I guess he’s under the weather.” They spoke for a bit and Hyun Sik got up to leave, promising to return in a while to pick Jinyoung up.

Mark sat awkwardly throughout the interaction. Once Hyun Sik started to leave, he cleared his throat, making the man stop in his tracks.

“My deepest gratitude to you and your pack, Mr Hyun Sik. Please let me know what I should do to show my gratitude.” He bowed deep and low, so much that even Jackson’s parents were shocked. They didn’t even know true alphas could bow like that.

“No, no. Jackson’s a special person to me. I have seen him grow up, him and Jinyoung. I don’t discriminate between the two. I have guarded them through their teenage and presentment. Please don’t bow. True alphas shouldn’t do that,” he quickly bowed to Mark repeatedly.

“Please expect deep appreciation from me and my family soon. I hope I will see you at the wedding as one of the Alphas who gives Jackson away.” Mark put his hand forward for a hand shake and Hyun Sik nodded.  Hyun Sik didn’t know the Tuans were extravagant when showing their appreciation. He was in for a surprise. He left with a sweet smile and a final bow and Mark sat down, fidgeting in his place.

“Forgive me for coming like this. I had to shift twice today. I didn’t have many clothes in the car.”

Mrs Wang had presented him with some snacks and beer because he was exhausted. He was glad that he could get his thoughts together before finally seeing Jackson.

“Mr Wang, Jackson’s not under the weather. It’s due to my scent bond. My wolf tells me that the bond has taken a possessive element. I didn’t expect it to be that strong. He felt weak because my scent faded off.” Mark stated.

“But why?”

“The last of the bond’s strength was challenged when another Alpha laid a hand on him. The bond got riled up and sucked his wolf dry in anger. I too don’t understand why my wolf would bond him like that. It’s…it’s not in my control.”

“Probably it did that so it could let you know he was in distress. Wolf blood magic works in strange ways, doesn’t it?” Mrs Wang added and Mark nodded.

“Alpha-”

“Please call me Mark. I will be your son-in-law soon. The formality is not necessary.”

Mr Wang nodded pleasantly at the way Mark appeared eager to please them and make them feel comfortable around him in spite of the difference in their status.

“Mark, I just want to know why you…well…it’s none of my business but-”

“Please ask me whatever you want freely.”

“You didn’t scent Jackson…is there a reason for it…? Are you still apprehensive about this union? Blood draws are hard to break but-”

“Mr Wang. No! I would never even think about breaking this draw. I am sorry I didn’t come scent Jackson but that’s because I was busy with work. Pa has handed me his business over. We are undertaking construction of our new offices and it keeps me busy all day…I should have been more forthcoming about that…” Mark finished politely.

“If you permit, I would like to scent him today. I will be here next week too. Is that okay?” Mark asked hesitantly and Mrs Wang nodded.

“He was anxious. You didn’t get in touch with him. It makes him think you don’t want this union-”

“It’s my fault. I work around the clock and…yeah. It’s my fault. I will take his number and apologize to him for the traumatic experience he had today. I should have been the one saving him. I feel guilty. I really do.” He looked at them both for emphasis and saw them nod slightly. He sighed internally at being able to convince them of this guilt. In a way, he did feel guilty because his wolf had clawed him good when he realized that they were late at helping save Jackson. He still felt some numbing pain in his back, thanks to his wolf punishing him.

 “Mr Wang, could you give me the details of the pack that attacked him? I am sure you know it all since you work with the department.”

Mr Wang went silent at that so Mark called on him again.

“Aloran wolves…”

“Here in Howlers Bay?”

Mr Wang nodded. Mark bit his lip at the implication of the news and sighed.

“The Alpha touched him. I will not let him go off easy,” he fisted his fingers and growled.

“It’s okay. I have him under arrest. They will deport him with his pack. Your father had him black listed even before I could process a request. I must say, the Tuans work fast.”

“You spoke to Pa?”

Mr Wang nodded and told him about the conversation they had. “We have to be hard on Alorans from now on.”

They talked for a bit about the things that Mr Wang thought Mark should know. Then they lapsed into a comfortable silence.

“The omega with Jackson is feisty.” Mark chugged some more beer as he devoured the food placed in front of him. Mr Wang nodded.

“He is a fire element wolf. He’s fiercely protective of Jackson. They have been together since a very young age. We earth element wolves bond very well with fire element wolves. His parents have been my friends since long too.”

“Will he let me scent Jackson or…” Mark scratched the back of his neck and Mrs Wang laughed.

“Why? Did he say something to you?”

“Well, he wouldn’t let me be with Jackson? Wouldn’t let him ride in my car, wouldn’t let me talk to him…got really mad at me for not showing up on time…I guess I was at fault for that though…”

Mr and Mrs Wang laughed at that. They knew Jinyoung since a very young age. The boy had a bad mouth and no filter but he loved Jackson to death so that’s something they put above everything problematic.

“He means no harm, really. He’s just a bit sensitive about Jackson. Jackson being weak must have triggered him. Their wolves are in deep harmony with each other…” Mrs Wang added and Mark nodded.

“So it’s true. Fire element wolves have a temper then, just like us water element ones.” Mark laughed awkwardly and the parents nodded.

“I am going to call Jinyoung down. You can umm…well…go scent Jackson. He has been sulky about it already,” Mrs Wang smiled fondly thinking about her son pouting about Mark’s disinterest.

“I will apologize to him profusely for being so stupid,” Mark smiled warmly and Mrs Wang felt Jackson would just be okay being Mark’s mate after all.

Mrs Wang rushed upstairs and Mr Wang engaged in some marriage talk with Mark. Minutes later Mrs Wang came down with Jinyoung in toe, smiling widely at Mark.

“Uncle, Jackson better be happy when I see him again,” Jinyoung said loudly as he sat beside the man and hugged his arm. “I will be so mad if he isn’t,” he whined and stared straight at Mark. Mr Wang chuckled at his pettiness.

“He will be, YoungYoung. Now go help Aunty with dinner? I am sure you came back without eating those buckwheat noodles,” he patted the boy’s head.

Mark immediately had his phone out, sent a quick text to someone and got up. He walked towards the kitchen where Mrs Wang was working and bowed before entering.

“I have ordered buckwheat noodles for you all. They will be here in some time. Does Jackson like them a lot? I ordered chicken and a lot of good wine too. Should I order anything else?” he asked, his phone already out.

“He’s not picky. He eats everything. Jinyoung loves buckwheat noodles though so one of them is going to be ecstatic. Good start to get him on your side,” she chuckled and Mark cleared his throat. He had no intention of impressing Jinyoung or ever speaking to him again but if he was an important part of Jackson’s life them may be he had to pay some attention to him. He didn’t want someone to push Jackson’s buttons and make him rebellious. He did not like bratty behaviour on omegas. It made his human-self really mad.

“You should go see Jackson. I can already sense him fidgeting. I was so scared when I sensed his distress. But it took me time to realize it was him…the energy was different because of your bond. Go see him now,” she pushed him towards the staircase and urged him to go. He nodded weakly and climbed up. He had had no time to take his surroundings in or get to know Jackson’s parents well, their choices or ways to decorate their cosy little house or look at all the pictures of Jackson that decorated the walls. It would be really helpful to be a convincing son-in-law if he could do that but now was not the time to think about all that.

Mrs Wang was still standing at the base of the staircase. He turned around and nodded at her reassuringly so she turned away.

Mark stood nervously in front of Jackson’s bedroom door. He had messed up on many levels today but it was essential to make up for at least a few things or it would only get more difficult to be with the younger. Taking a deep breath he knocked. He waited for a few seconds but Jackson didn’t answer the door. He knocked again a bit impatiently and finally the boy opened the door.

He looked at Mark and then had his eyes downcast. He opened the door wider and turned around. Mark entered the bedroom and softly closed the door behind him.

Jackson was sitting on a bean bag in a corner, not really caring to look at Mark or give him any attention. Mark had to be done with scenting him fast or it was going to get too late to go home, run the errands that were still pending, go check the office site once before turning in for the day.

He looked at Jackson and bit his lip. The boy was adorably sitting on the bean bag, wearing a baby pink hoodie and pyjamas. His hair looked fluffy as usual. He smelled bath fresh and Mark was glad that he couldn’t smell some other Alpha on his omega. His omega? Wasn’t he getting a bit too involved for his own good? He blamed it on the scent bond. He felt possessive and angry and controlling all over again when he thought some other wolf had tried to touch Jackson. It wasn’t out of love or lust or any attachment, it was something he thought his wolf had done without letting him know. Boo had, however, repeatedly told him that he didn’t know the bond would work like that on Jackson.

 “Jacksonnnn…” he whined as the younger wouldn’t say a single word to him or acknowledge him.

“Please, Alpha. Just scent me and go. You don’t have to pretend to have a conversation with me.” Jackson sounded hurt and bothered and it was bad news. Mark had to get his shit together or it was going to come back to bite him in the ass.

“Really?” Mark walked to him and touched his hair lightly, caressing the soft strands carefully. The younger’s body stiffened at the slight contact. “Are you mad at me?” Mark used his best, sweetest tone but Jackson moved away.

“No.”

“But it feels like you are…”

“No. I am not.”

Mark looked around the room. It was minimalistic but organized and cosy like the rest of the house. A four poster bed was placed in the dead centre with beautiful green sheets, fluffy pillows and a book. But what caught Mark’s attention was his battered t-shirt. It sat folded neatly on one of the pillows.

He walked towards the bed and picked it up. He could feel Jackson’s eyes following his movement so he turned around, holding the t-shirt not-so-gently. It made Jackson get up from his spot and reach him fast. He tried to pull it out of Mark’s hand but the elder had held it tightly. He tugged harder but Mark didn’t relent, instead pulled it closer, making the younger come along with it. Jackson immediately let go and turned around but the elder grabbed him by the hood and pulled him back so he crashed into Mark’s chest yet again.

“So mad?” Mark put his chin on the younger’s shoulder and muttered. He carefully deposited the t-shirt on the bed so Jackson could see he was being considerate. Jackson tried to free himself but couldn’t. His arms were now wrapped by Mark’s. He didn’t want this faux affection from Mark. The elder had him wrapped in a back hug so tight that Jackson thought that Mark was in fact afraid to lose him. It made him sad to think that.

“Won’t even talk to me huh?”

“What should I say to you? I have nothing to say to you. Just scent me and go,” he whispered, feeling sadness settle in his heart so fast that it left him breathless.

Mark nuzzled in the side of his neck, puffs of his hot breath made Jackson’s body shudder.

“Sooo sweet…so very sweet,” Mark leisurely rubbed his nose on his neck. “Did you miss me?”

“No.” Jackson moved uncomfortably in his hold because Mark was too close. Because he was in a sleeveless tank and a pair of shorts, his blazing skin heat was transferring easily through Jackson’s clothes.

“Do you wear my t-shirt to sleep every day, Jackson?” he asked softly before tightening his hold around his waist so Jackson couldn’t escape.

Jackson pushed at Mark’s arms but it was useless.

“Please just…let me go,” he muttered, resigned.

“So, you don’t even want to be close to me…to think that I spent three whole days foreseeing the construction of our house…making everything perfect for you…the living room, the kitchen, the bedroom…the bed…” his hands were inside Jackson’s hoodie before he could react. Jackson yelped as hot hands touched his stomach. He held Mark’s wrists over the hoodie and made a sound he wasn’t very proud of.

“Mark…don’t…” the elder’s thumbs were rubbing against his navel, tingling his abs and making him feel breathless.

“So it’s Mark in the bedroom huh?” he whispered into Jackson’s ear. “Can you take off this hoodie, Jackson?” he tugged at the hem of the clothing. Jackson finally turned around and pushed him, making him stumble a bit before he regained his footing.

“This is wrong. You can’t…” Mark had pulled him close again. This time they were face to face.

“My wolf cries because he misses you too much…and you won’t even let me touch you. Please…a little bit, please,” he nuzzled into his hair, planting little kisses on his forehead and temple. “Don’t I have the right to touch you? You let me the first time…” Mark tried to sneak his hands into the hoodie again but Jackson squirmed.

“You can…just after marriage…you know that…” Jackson replied. His voice broke a bit at how his entire body was reacting to Mark’s proximity. Mark’s scent was driving him crazy to the point of no return. His wolf keened, nearly crying when he inhaled the scent up close.

Mark held him gently by his biceps and looked in to his eyes. “I know…but I want to scent you. You are my omega and today you were in danger because of my carelessness…I didn’t know your omega scent would overpower mine so fast…do you know how much this powerfulness of yours turns me on?” he dragged his hands down slowly, feeling Jackson shudder. It was finally working. The boy was in his control completely. He planted a small kiss on the boy’s chin and slowly got down on his knees. Seeing Mark on his knees in front of him like that, freaked Jackson out.

“Oh my God, get up,” he patted the elder’s shoulder but he did not relent, instead he looked at him softly.

“No. I want to say sorry for today. I was stupid and careless. I should have come for you the moment I sensed your unrest. I should have scented you like I said I would. I should have called you up in all these days…I was stupid and busy with work…I wasn’t purposely ignoring you. Really, you don’t know how many times I have seen you in my dreams, and…” he nuzzled into Jackson’s stomach and moaned at the strong omega scent his body gave off. It was too sweet and tempting for his impulses to not get affected. He felt lust coil at the base of his stomach, a clear sign of a knot beginning to form and he shuddered at the very thought of being turned on by Jackson like that. There was no love lust there, this was just wolf lust. But didn’t that mean his human-self was also clearly swayed by Jackson’s body? But at this point, he knew, any sane Alpha would jump Jackson right away because of the way he was smelling.

Jackson fingers had already come to thread in his locks lightly. “and I wake up with such a-”

“Heyyyy…” Jackson pushed at his shoulder and went silent. Mark looked up and saw pink dust the younger’s cheeks. A weird satisfaction and excitement set in and he rubbed his nose on the younger’s stomach again.

“You didn’t miss me? Even a bit?” Mark planted a kiss over Jackson’s hoodie, right over his stomach, making the younger breathe raggedly. He repeated the action before slowly pushing up the hoodie and planting a smack on his bare skin. The grip Jackson had on his hair suddenly tightened and he whined.

“Didn’t miss me, omega? Didn’t miss my scent?” his voice had gone deep as he planted more kisses on Jackson’s stomach. “Not even a little, Jackson?” he bit the mole below Jackson’s navel and the younger breathed heavily.

“I did. So much,” Jackson moaned as Mark dipped his tongue into his navel. “Oh…” he felt the elder’s palms roam his torso, slowly caressing his bare skin and making him moan lewdly.

“You did,” he licked his stomach leisurely, scenting him heavily as he did. His alpha scent had heightened and Jackson grabbed him by his hair tighter.  “Your body is soft, I want to touch all of you, taste your sl-”

“Holy Bay, enough,” Jackson had suddenly snapped out of it because he had remembered Jinyoung yelling at him about being too complacent with Mark. When he looked at his current situation, he was definitely gullible and complacent to the elder.

He pushed Mark away and pulled his hoodie down so his stomach was properly covered. Mark stared at him, dazed, his hair messed up and his lips wet. Jackson felt fire erupt at the pit of his stomach but chose to ignore it for his own good.

“So sweet,” Mark smacked his lips together and licked them right after. Jackson blushed scarlet at that.

“Give me your number?” Mark crawled towards him on all fours and Jackson tried really hard not to laugh. The elder pulled out his phone and handed it to him.

The wallpaper made Jackson blush even more. It was a picture of him, half his face actually. It was from the WolHarmony file and he hated it so much but now it was on Mark’s phone as his wallpaper. Was he just getting ahead of himself? He couldn’t trust the elder to do something like this with a romantic intent.

“Why is my picture on your…”

“Jaebeom put it there. He said that I should keep seeing you on the phone like this so I have the sense to call you. He thought I had your number…”

Of course! Any normal Alpha would have his omega’s number, in fact, on speed dial! Bad luck for Jackson, Mark wasn’t any normal Alpha. He type his number and saved it. He handed the Alpha his phone back and sat down on the bed comfortably.

“Oh, the buckwheat noodles are here!” Mark chimed happily as he showed Jackson the delivery message.

“You ordered them for-”

“I came to know you went out to eat them but you couldn’t because of whatever happened so I thought to order them here for you.”

Jackson was thrown away by this sudden display of sense on Mark’s part. He stared at the elder to confirm if it was his wolf talking or him but it definitely was Mark.

“Thank you,” Jackson muttered and got up, walking to the door. Mark followed him and took his hand. He planted small kisses on his knuckles and stared into his eyes.

“I am a workaholic. You might not hear from me or see me for days when I work too hard. But…when you will…I will always take a big bite out of you,” he surged forward and planted a kiss on Jackson’s cheek. Jackson’s eyes widened comically and he touched his cheek in disbelief. “It’s a shame that my omega showed me no affection today,” Mark whined and looked away.

“Am I such a bad Alpha?” he whined even more and Jackson felt weak in the knees. Why was this man so confusing? It was so difficult to understand which part of him was the genuine one. “I even made a vegetable patch for you in the backyard after Pa told me you liked gardening and stuff…I guess I just don’t deserve-” a wet smack was planted on his cheek and Jackson had run out the door before Mark could even react. If only he had waited a bit longer, he would have seen Mark actually smile naturally at the action. Jackson’s softness had finally made him smile for the very first time. The omega was special after all.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ask me anything you dont understand. Leave me some love if you really liked this chapter.
> 
> xx


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everybody loves Jackson, except, maybe, Mark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's getting harder to handle. I dont know how i am going to maintain consistency. I feel like I will forget the things I have stated. I am literally planning to make a fact file now. I hope i dont mess up.
> 
> I hope you like it. Pleaseeee leave comments. I will reply all the comments for sure. Work has been messy lately.
> 
> <3

Mark was agitated. It showed through how roughly he was driving towards home. He hadn’t been himself at Jackson’s house. He wasn’t really sure why he was trying so hard to convince Jackson and his parents that he would be a good mate and a good son-in-law. Was it more for himself or for everything to go smoothly?

“Do you think I am doing it on purpose?” he yelled at his wolf who clawed him yet again and the physical pain just aggravated his tension more.

_“YES! You are. You have no reason to be this salty about your mate being a man. This kind of pairing has been happening since years now. Why are you so mad about it?”_

“That’s the least of my concerns. You are acting like you don’t know why it was important for me to bear pups,” Mark ruffled his own hair in frustration as he drove towards home fast.

_“I do know. But…the old wolves matched you with him…and I know even if you want to revive the Bay, it’s not the only thing you are responsible for in your life!”_

“IT IS. The Bay is crucial for every wolf here. You know how its power works, right? Right now, it’s at bare minimum so other wolves, like the Alorans, they easily come here and make a mess. You know that we are not as well shielded as we were before?”

_“Yes. Don’t talk to me like I am a child, Yi. My whole power comes from the Bay. I am connected to it more powerfully than you are. Even if it’s at bare minimum, it is enough for the wolves to sustain until true alphas revive it completely.”_

“How do you think that will happen unless I, Jaebeom or Joey have pups? And even if they both do, they won’t be able to revive the Bay as well as me and my pups. It has to be us water element wolves who try first to revive to its full power. Then the other true alphas can try to do the same.” Mark grimaced at the mere idea of not being able to help anymore.

_“We are still a pack of true alphas with two living generations and Jackson is…”_

“What about him?”

Boo went silent. He had sensed that Jackson was a prime the moment he didn’t react normally at being choked by Mark. It was a whole game changer. He didn’t know what it would mean for a prime to join the pack but he was sure that it would increase their strength by leaps and bounds. As an old creature of magic, he knew what it meant to be able to withstand pain of any and every kind. But, if he did tell Mark about it, the boy could actually get even more selfish with Jackson. It was already upsetting to see his human half be so cold, calculative and selfish with an innocent person. Mark was a lot of things as a human. He was quiet, short-tempered, straight forward, aggressive, powerful and extremely focused when he wanted to be. But he was never cruel, selfish, mean and insensitive. On worst days, he was just indifferent to things that bothered him.

Ever since Mark had sought Jackson through his dreams, he had changed. His feelings were a whole mess and that mess drove him crazy. And it affected him too. The powers of an Alpha wolf were volatile and connected to his human’s emotions. For a true Alpha it was even more complicated as his powers came from his character. The more he used his power to do good, the more it would increase. But for that to happen, he had to be selfless and genuine, and not do good just with the hunger for power.

Whenever a true Alpha became irrational, closed off and negative, his powers would fluctuate. That’s what had happened today. Mark couldn’t get to Jackson in time because his powers weren’t at his maximum since a while now. He couldn’t sense where Jackson was exactly and the wasted time had resulted in embarrassment which still rubbed badly against Mark’s ego.

_“Look, you will know Jackson soon enough. I am in harmony with his wolf because his powers are too pure. He’s really a very powerful and upright wolf, Yi. You have no reason to treat him-”_

“Treat him how? I have treated him the best I could, okay? I tried so hard to let him know I was eager to marry him, scented him in the most intimate of ways. I never even thought I would touch a man like that, okay? I agree that he is very attractive and my body starts to form a knot just by looking into his eyes but…I don’t know if I can love him. You can’t really expect me to love him. Love and lust are two different things, Boo.” He finished. Boo could feel his heart beating so fast that he felt sorry for the boy.

 _“Okay. Then probably you should’ve just let that other Alpha have his way with him, huh? At least the boy could have had some intimacy with an Alpha which he is definitely not going to have with you,”_ Boo glowered and Mark huffed.

“What?”

_“Don’t think I don’t know or foresee what you have planned in your head. You are being so cruel to him even before you have claimed him. You will suck him dry of his powers, Yi. That’s just barbaric. Just free the boy if you hate this union so much. It will take time and a lot of my power for us to break this match but I will do it for you, if it makes you happy. Don’t spoil a life out of your twisted priorities.”_

“Twisted priorities? You think reviving the Bay is a twisted priority?”

_“No. But making every decision of your life based on that one thing is just wrong. Jackson didn’t come to you. He was matched and given to you by the old wolves. Don’t you think there may be a reason for it?”_

“Why do you think I want to get married to him in spite of knowing I would never be able to love him? It’s only because of the old wolves. I trust they have a reason to do this.”

Boo went silent again. The four days that Mark hadn’t contacted Jackson, Boo had become lonely and weak. He wanted to meet Jackson and his wolf and stare at them all day. It was inherent mate nature to yearn for the other’s presence, their scent and their love. It was so weird. Mark didn’t want either of them but Boo wanted both Jackson and his wolf. It was a conflict since day one and they both had survived it because they were both too powerful. If Mark was stubborn then Boo was stubborn too. He didn’t know how long he was going to be able to bear Mark pushing him into submission every time Jackson was around.

Mark dialed BamBam’s number and that got Boo out of his reverie.

“Bammie-”

“At the deportation chamber near the Cursed Claw. The ship shall sail in about an hour. Transport leaves soon,” he said hurriedly and Mark couldn’t help but chuckle.

“How did you-”

“Excuse me, but I am your beta. I know everything. Youngjae is literally sitting here with is claws out and Yugi is eating really fast because we are waiting for you. Also…”

“Also?”

“God damn. Your mate is so hot. Please don’t break him. He’s too pretty,” Bam cooed and Mark snorted.

“Is Jaebeom there?” Bam immediately put the phone on speaker. “You are on speaker, my Alpha.”

“Jaebeom-”

“You just have to get here. Pa already knows and approves.”

“Really? You decided to tell him? Oh my God, you guys didn’t even wait for me to get there,” Mark sighed.

“Umm…actually he’s the one who asked us if we, as a pack, were just going to let some shitty Aloran Alpha get away with touching your omega.” Jaebeom’s voice had had an edge to it when he said it and it confused Mark.

“He’s yours but also ours. Ours to protect and love. Do you know how hard it was for me to control these beta pups? They drove me crazy on the way back! Joey had to literally bite Bam to get him from running to the prison alone,” he huffed.

“Jackson’s so cute…I want to sniff him so bad, he was smelling so sweet,” Youngjae cooed and Yugyeom whined.

“Ugh, fine. You smell sweeter. The jealous jumped out, stupid,” Youngjae laughed and Yugyeom growled happily.

Boo keened at how the pack wolves had taken a liking to Jackson and his wolf. They were already thinking of him and loving him as a pack mate.

“I am…sorry,” Mark whispered and the commotion on the other side stopped.  

“You should be. You were aggressive with him. Is that what you want to do with your Alpha powers? Be mean to an innocent person? Be mean to YOUR own omega?” BamBam growled and Mark bit his lip. They were young and naïve, cheerful and talkative all the time but they had their hearts in the right place. Also, they didn’t shy away from giving it to Mark straight when he messed up.

“No. I will not behave like that again. I was angry because he reeked…”

“It was your job to scent him, Alpha.” Youngjae said immediately with an edge to his voice. “Because you didn’t, we couldn’t protect him. I couldn’t get some shitty Aloran blood on my claws because we didn’t get there in time. Yugyeom couldn’t kick some pervy ass and Bam couldn’t use his fancy moves to beat the shit outa the Alpha who tried to touch our omega.”

Youngjae calling Jackson ‘our omega’ resonated with Mark…wow that was a fast development.

“You think I would let you little betas engage with an Alpha?” Mark asked worriedly.

“Sorry but you were literally blocking Boo the whole time so we were sure you weren’t going to do much when we got there. You were just riled up due to the bond. To think that the Alpha who can’t even let his beta go out at night doesn’t feel possessive of his own omega…” Youngjae sighed loudly.

“Why do you think we are going to the port, dumbass? He touched someone that belongs to me. Jackson’s mine. I won’t sit tight until I smear my fur with that Alpha’s blood, destroy his pack symbol and his pack. Nobody dares to touch what’s mine.”

“Awwww…cute…what about us though?” BamBam whined.

“You too. You are all mine. Nobody gets close to my pack under my watch.”

The betas giggled.

“Where’s Joey?”

“I am here, bro.”

“Why so quiet?”

“I am so pissed at you. Want to hit your dumb head,” he whined.

“Whyyyyyy,” Mark whined in return.

“You are so boring with Jackson. I wanted to claw you today,”

“AAAHHH, my own blood wants to claw me over an omega who I don’t even-”

“STOP IT! He’s ours. We love him and want him. We do, since the moment we saw him. His wolf is so fucking pure, oh God! I don’t remember the last time sensing that pure a wolf around me. His scent is so pure…enchanting, earthly and sweet. Don’t go running your mouth against him, we will all claw you,” Yugyeom retorted and just like that his whole pack was siding with Jackson over him.

“See you at the port then, you clawing lil shits. We gotta do this fast.”

“Yessir.”

**

Moran looked at all the gashes over his beta and winced. The confinement that was holding them was made of silver. It’s cold nature lowered their healing powers dramatically. He couldn’t believe that they had been caught and put behind bars so fast. To think that Howlers Bay was still recovering from the war…he certainly wanted to give them points for being proactive.

They were in a small transport vehicle and he could smell the ocean clearly so they were definitely heading southeast to the port. They would be sent back to Alora and probably were blacklisted from ever coming back to the ‘precious, blessed Howlers bay’. However, their trip hadn’t failed.

“I am sorry, you guys,” he whispered and all his pack mates whined. “But now we know that the true Alpha isn’t really happy with his match…he didn’t even scent the omega properly…hahaha to think that the Alpha was going to bear pups and Alora was in danger…higher-ups will be thrilled-”

There was some commotion outside and the van came to a sudden stop, tires making a god awful noise against the concrete. They were all thrown around, hitting the silver bars and wincing. Moran was on high alert and so was his pack the moment the van had skidded to a halt. Soon enough, the its doors opened. Moran’s breath got caught when three pairs of red, simmering eyes looked up at him. A pack of wolves was staring at them from below, smelling heavily of anger and blood lust. The Alpha who stood before him was so big that Moran felt his powers drain just looking at him standing there in his glory. He growled lowly and Moran took a step back. Moran’s pack was injured and afraid, drained of their powers due to the fight at the restaurant. It was already apparent from the pack’s scent who the wolves were. Moran was going to die tonight and so was his pack.

“I-I am sorry, Alpha,” Moran got on his knees and bowed low again and again, hoping that the wolf would forgive him.

Before he knew it, the Alpha had broken the lock on the confinement with a powerful hit, his nails painfully raking against the silver. The sound made Moran feel dizzy and agitated. His pack reflected his emotions so they all huddled together, hoping for their Alpha to save them.

The wolves jumped into the van and piercing cries were heard, blood was spilled to the point that it trickled down the van to the road. Mark had attacked Moran in every way he had mastered, leaving no part of his body unhurt. It was done in under ten minutes but Mark felt like he had relieved his stress of ten hours. His muzzle was bloody, so were his claws while his fur was wet with blood. He jumped down and howled happily into the night. He shifted to his human form and bared his teeth. Moran was still writhing with extreme pain from Mark’s attack. His eyes widened when he looked at Mark. “Pleaseee…no…” he wailed.

Mark punctured his own finger and blood oozed out of it. He brought it closer to Moran’s pack symbol and rubbed the blood over it. The dying Alpha writhed and so did his pack mates. The symbol slowly started dissolving, the wolves around were finally losing their remaining power and bond.

“Nobody messes with my omega and gets away with it, you little piece of shit.” Mark then punctured Moran’s neck with his claws and ended his pack and all its existence.

“Burn it down, Joey,” Mark whispered and saw his brother shift and run towards the car they had parked deep into the woods. Within moments, Joey had lit up the van in flames. Mark smiled. The others looked at the van being lapped up by angry flames. The fire reflected in Mark’s red eyes like a volcano. It felt good to give in to his instincts even more when his wolf was on board.

_“You don’t even love him but-”_

“But he’s mine. It’s my job to protect him as his Alpha. I will never shy away from that responsibility. I won’t because I am a true Alpha.”

_“One day you will love him more than anything in this world.”_

Before Mark could answer, Joey threw spare clothes on his face, making him groan.

“You pervert,” Youngjae whined and Mark looked down. He was hard and leaking. Blood lust could arouse alphas, he had heard that but now he had seen it too. He immediately wore the clothes and looked away.

“You know what? We are gonna make a run for it. I don’t wanna smell your arousal while we drive back home, eww,” Jaebeom grimaced and the others nodded. Their bond was powerful and thrumming, the connection much too active because they had killed. They didn’t even need to say the words out loud. Wolf bond was truly magical.

“Come here first,” Mark whined and got on his knees.

“Ugh, this Alpha,” BamBam groaned but went closer to Mark all the same.

“My beta, so pretty,” Mark petted the beautiful gray wolf that was BamBam and kissed his head. “How did I get such good pups,” he cooed at Yugyeom’s big brown form while nuzzling behind his ear. He could feel Yugyeom giggle and smiled. “Such a perfect little trio for me,” he ran his fingers through Youngjae’s soft, white fur and hummed. The blood on their fur and the flesh in their claws and teeth didn’t bother him because they were his betas, his pack mates, his strength.

Jaebeom grunted behind him and he chuckled.

“Yeah, yeah,” he turned around and gestured Jaebeom and Joey to come closer. They did. They were alphas so it wasn’t really the kind of relationship where he could pet and cuddle them like his little betas. He could if he wanted to but he knew they would hate it. So he just touched his forehead with theirs one after the other and kissed their bloody muzzles.

“My pack, my strength. Thank you,” he whispered and they bowed low before scrambling to lick his face and neck in response. Mark toppled at the attack and laid down flat so they could just do what they pleased. His wolf was happy and dancing inside him at the love he was receiving from the pack. He loved to interact with them like this, close, scents intermixing and energies high and soaring. This was what it meant to be a pack.

Mark giggled as they groaned at the increasing scent of his arousal because he was still hard and it was only getting worse as they were so high on energy. “Go now, I am gonna drive back.” They didn’t wait, running away so fast that Mark laughed.

He got into the car. He called up his father to let him know what had gone down. He seemed happy because even if they had murdered a pack in revenge, it was something that wolves were allowed to do whenever their families were threatened. And in their case, they had enough evidence of the Aloran pack being a menace. The van driver had run away the moment he had seen a wolf too big to tackle. There were hardly any wolves close to Mark’s size or power in the Bay but he was sure his father was going to tie all loose ends well.

“Jackson’s father…he already had plans of ending them…I am so glad we matched with a family that doesn’t take any kinds of threats lightly. When I told him you were on it…he was surprised. I don’t understand why though. Probably you haven’t been acting like an eager Alpha, that’s why? You should call Jackson and check up on him. Assure him that you are still thinking about him.”

Mark scrunched his nose at that. He wasn’t worried about anything related to Jackson right now. He was sure the boy was in bed, cuddled with his t-shirt, sleeping soundly in his house.

“Yi En?”

“Yes, father.” He sighed.

“Be a little more involved. I thought you were finally coming around with this union. The old wolves-”

“Holy Bay, I know. I respect this union. Can you hang up so that I can call him?” Mark asked irritated and his father chuckled.

“Bye Boo. Come home safe. Mom’s saved you some pork chops and chicken.”

Mark scratched his neck and looked around. The woods were dark and the road wasn’t really perfect so he was driving as slowly as possible. It was a little over midnight and Mark really didn’t feel comfortable calling Jackson. When he checked his phone properly, he found an unread message. His eyes flicked between the road and the phone. It irritated him so he just stopped the car and opened the message.

_Did you reach home? Have you eaten yet? You didn’t eat much here._

Mark stared at the message. It was sent almost half an hour after he had left Jackson’ place. He scratched his neck again.

_No. I am still out. I haven’t eaten yet. I don’t really like buckwheat noodles._

He had sent the text hoping it would be better than calling. He could just tell his father that he had messaged the boy in case he asked. Just when he was about to throw the phone on the passenger seat, it buzzed.

_Why? Please don’t work so much. I felt a little drained a while ago and then too powerful. Did you do something?_

Mark raised his eyebrows at that. So, his scent bond was in sync with Mark’s actions correlating to his possessiveness? What the hell kind of magic was this bond? If his scent bond was like this, how would his bite bond be?

_You will know later. You should sleep now._

Mark sighed. His lower half hurt because of how hard he was. He had to go take care of it as soon as possible. He hoped that the pack wasn’t using their bachelor pad tonight and was in fact in the woods somewhere resting.

_I cannot._

Mark stared at the reply and bit his lip before typing back his own.

_Why?_

_I…I feel weird…are you okay?_

Mark clutched the steering wheel tightly, his body heating up unexpectedly.

_Alpha, I am worried._

_Alpha?_

_Mark?_

Mark’s phone buzzed continuously with the messages. He looked at the phone and breathed heavily. His wolf told him that the arousal was just a result of his possessiveness and dominance, and him getting what he wanted.

Mark dialed Jackson’s number because he wasn’t in the state to chat with him over messages and he didn’t want to freak the younger out even more.

“Alpha?” Jackson had immediately answered. His tone was worried and his voice a bit groggy. It somehow intensified the pain in his nether regions.

“Hmm?” Mark put his head back on the seat and breathed heavily.

“Where are you? Is everything okay?”

“Out. And yes, everything is ugh…fine,” Mark grunted in pain and adjusted himself a bit but it was still difficult.

“You sound a bit uncomfortable…like…you are hurting…Mark, you are freaking me out,” Jackson’s voice was totally rasped out and the worry dripped through it clearly. However, just the sound of his voice was doing a number on Mark’s body.

“I…it hurts, Jackson,” Mark whimpered as his body demanded to be touched but Mark was too proud to jerk himself off in his car. Also, if he did that, the scent would never leave the car.

Jackson sprung up to a sitting position and felt his own body throb a bit at Mark’s voice in pain.

“Your…your scent is intensifying…oh God, my whole room smells like you, Mark…what are you…oh… _ooohhh_ ,” Jackson went speechless at the realization. Shit, Mark was red in the face. Was his scent bond so telling?

“Boo, what the hell!” he yelled at his wolf in frustration.

_“What! I didn’t do anything! It’s because you scented him so thickly today-”_

“He knows! Shit, shit, shit!”

“Jackson…umm…I need to hang up now…I am…oh…alright…I will-”

“MARK TUAN, WHO THE HELL DID YOU TOUCH?” Jackson yelled into the phone and Mark froze. Then Jackson started sobbing into the phone, slowly but surely Mark could hear sniffles on the line, controlled sobs but definitely sobs.

When an omega addressed an Alpha by his full name, it was always a sign of distress. Omegas tended to lose their ability to show respect and submission in the time of distress, immediately seeking instant comfort and assurance, addressing their Alpha instead of just their titles, demanding immediate and full attention.

“Jackson I didn’t-”

“I know you hate me…I know you don’t like me one bit…but…but does that mean you have to…you have to go to someone else…and…and…please don’t do this, Mark. If you hate me to this extent…just…just tell me. Do you love someone else? Why are you talking to me when you are in that position? Are they with you? Did your parents force you to get in touch with me?” Jackson spoke between sobs, his breath hitching, hiccups blocking many of his words but Mark could understand what he was trying to say.

“Jackson-”

“Have you knotted someone before me? Oh Mark…” Jackson was full blown crying now because probably Mark’s scent had gone so berserk on his end that it was making Jackson assume the worse. Mark growled and hung up on him.

Jackson couldn’t understand what the hell had happened. Why had Mark called him or texted him if he was with someone? Why was he going to these lengths to hurt him? Tears came unrestricted and he curled under the blanket. Mark was with someone else, being intimate. Mark’s scent was even thicker than before now. His body was heating up with the need to present himself to his Alpha, his pajamas were slick filled and he throbbed everywhere. He didn’t know which pain was bigger, his body’s or his heart’s.

Mark, on the other hand, was writhing. He had somehow stumbled out of the car. He had his hand in his shorts and moaned loudly, head thudding against the hood of the car, phone slipping out of his grip. Mark’s eyes watered due to the sensations that his body was going through. He was suddenly reminded of Jackson’s first appearance in his dreams. The boy was wearing a white robe and standing by the window watering plants…the robe wasn’t tied properly so Mark could see his chest, the pink of his nipples rubbing against the thick material every time he moved his arms. His skin was warm like honey, looking soft, inviting and brightened by the sunlight that filtered through the window. Jackson had looked up at him and smiled then, eyes crinkling adorably as if due to recognition. Mark couldn’t stop staring at his torso, wanting so desperately to touch him, feel his skin against his lips and tongue, to look at what else was hidden poorly by the robe.

The wolf showed him more visuals of him doing things to Jackson that he had never even thought about. It was graphic to the point that Mark moaned loudly, his blood flowing south even faster. An intense heat enveloped his body and he throbbed with an animalistic need to fuck into Jackson, to tear him apart and ram into him repeatedly until he came undone. Mark was close to orgasming due to the treacherous visuals his wolf had conjured.

“Boo…stop…I…I feel weird seeing him like that…it hurts even more.” He whimpered and covered his mouth with his free hand because he was embarrassed.

_“You can touch him…he’s yours…Yi…he’s ours…I want to knot him…Yi,”_

Mark’s body was arching, his cock hurt to the point of making him weep loudly, his tears flowing fast. His strokes had become impatient and hurried.

_“Mate, mate, mate…”_

“Boo, no…this is…unfair…” Mark tried to control what his wolf was doing to him but it was hard when they both wanted release…it was really hard. “Jackson,” Mark whispered and thumbed his own slit. He came with a shudder and a yell. Cum dripped down his fingers freely, his body shaking with the intense release. It didn’t stop oozing out of him for a good ten minutes because that’s how it usually was when he jerked off. It wasn’t easy being a true Alpha after all. Luckily he had pushed his shorts down enough to not get much on it. His knees buckled and he crashed on the uneven, muddy road with a groan.

After calming his wildly beating heart down, Mark got up, pulled up his shorts and got into the car. He drove erratically towards his home, his heart sinking at the thought of what he had done, what he had let Jackson know. He had never in his life jerked off outside the comfort of his room, his bed or his bathroom but today he had had no self-control. Jackson’s voice had triggered him, his visuals, the memory of him from the dreams that had left him hard for days…Jackson affected him more than he thought he did and it pissed him off.

**

Mark had slept like a log. He had crashed the moment he had reached home, not even bothering to head upstairs. He was tired and drained. When Mark’s father headed downstairs and smelled blood and a faint smell of something he really did not want to smell, he grimaced.

“Yi En,” he nudged the boy who was sprawled on the couch, snoring lightly. “Yi En,” he patted the boy’s cheek and he groaned. He woke up, much against his will, and whined.

“You reek…go wash up before the smell wakes up your mother,” he pushed at the boy’s shoulder and he got up. He headed for his room without saying much and his father shook his head.

The home phone rang and he was startled. Who was calling this early in the morning?

“Hello?” nobody answered so he hung up, confused. The phone rang again.

“Hello? Who’s this?” he asked softly. He heard a whimper on the other end and immediately felt worried. “Who is this? Are you okay?” he asked worriedly and heard a throat being cleared.

“Father…” Mark’s father took a moment to realize that it was Jackson on the line. His heart softened immediately and then it was hit by worry.

“Jackson, are you okay? Why are you crying? Are you in danger?”

“Does Mark love someone else, father? Yesterday he…his scent…I don’t know what I did wrong…if he hates me, please…you don’t have to force him to get in touch with me,” he cried. His voice sounded like he hadn’t slept at all. It was weak and distraught.

“What do you mean, son?”

“Yesterday night…I spoke to him and then his scent intensified to the point of smothering me with it…it can only mean one thing, father…he was with someone…he…he…” Jackson cried uncontrollably and Mr Tuan’s heart went out to him.

“Calm down, calm down. Can you come here? You have to. I will send Joey to pick you up. This is a misunderstanding, son. You should clear it with Mark and meet the rest of the pack. They are back from their…well they are back and are eager to meet you, please. I will send Joey right away.”

Jackson didn’t answer so Mark’s father called out to him again.

“Please, son. Just come home and clear it up with him. Okay?”

“Yes. Thank you, father. I am sorry, I didn’t want to worry my parents so I called you.”

“You did well, my son. Have lunch with us today, okay? I will inform your father. Just come over, okay? See you,” he hung up and sighed.

He zeroed in on Joey in his head and nudged him. He communicated to him that he had to go pick Jackson up immediately and was relieved to know that his younger son was ready to leave.

“Mark keeps making things worse…” he muttered and that’s when the said boy came downstairs.

“Who were you with yesterday?” he asked with an edge to his voice and Mark startled.

“What do you mean? I was with the pack and before that I was at Jackson’s,” Mark scratched his head. “Why?”

“Jackson cried all night, didn’t sleep because he thinks you were with someone. You scented him heavily so he…”

“Oh shit. How did you know that, Pa?”

“He called up. He’s distraught and scared, in pain because he thinks you…oh dear. But I did smell a bit-”

“IT WAS BLOODLUST! HOLY BAY! Not you too!” Mark whined and Mr Tuan couldn’t control his snicker.

“Ah…I see…and that poor boy is thinking you love someone else. He’s coming home. I invited him. Clear his misunderstanding before it blows up even more,” he laughed and Mark covered his face in embarrassment.

“Love? Me? I love nobody except my pack,” he murmured and started making himself breakfast.

“Make him eggs too. He will be here. Better win him over, Yi,” he walked away and Mark clicked his tongue. He was already pissed at the boy and now he had to see him first thing in the morning and explain it to him that…he wasn’t…like that because of someone. He groaned.

He remembered how he had come vigorously at the visuals of Jackson in his head. He hated how just a thought and the sound of his voice had pushed him over the edge. Was this wolf blood magic? Was this his lust? Was it something he couldn’t control? Whatever it was, he didn’t like it one bit. He wasn’t getting into this marriage for loving Jackson, for his body or for satisfying his lust. It was only for the purpose of fulfilling the draw and to find out the purpose of the match. May be it was crucial for reviving the Bay in some way. Mark was literally making the biggest decision of his life based on a tiny belief that the old wolves had a valid reason of matching him with Jackson.

His betas noisily made way into the kitchen and demanded breakfast, which he happily started making. Jaebeom had headed home, he guessed, but soon enough the boy had shown up and whined about the pups making a mess out of him all night.

“They were squabbling all night!” he complained and Mark snorted.

“Wow! What about?”

“About the claiming ceremony, of course. Ugh. They want to know who gets to hold him after the ceremony. It’s obvious. It should be Joey. By the way, where is Joey?” he looked around.

An omega lost a lot of his energy after he was claimed so one of the pack members was supposed to hold him and initiate his healing process. Pack scents encouraged healing, soothing out the pain and giving the new omega a feeling of home. It was an honor and a very sweet tradition to make the omega feel the love of the entire pack.

“Well…you decide it amongst yourselves. I don’t mind either one of you doing it,” Mark served eggs to Jaebeom with the sunny side up and sighed. “Joey went to pick Jackson up.” The moment he said it, the betas shot up and rushed to him like puppies. It made him chuckle.

“He’s coming here? Really? Can I sniff him? Can I show him our den? Can I show him the whole estate?” Youngjae was literally jumping in his spot and BamBam was giving him a judgmental stare.

“But I want to sniff him too…I am coming with…Bammie you too come,” Yugyeom was shaking the smaller beta by his shoulders and pouting at him. The boy huffed and side eyed Mark.

“It’s like they are the ones getting a mate,”

“We already have each other as mates!” Youngjae growled and BamBam went a shade of pink because they never talked about it in presence of the Alphas.

“Yes, what are you complaining about? You are never this crabby about us being mates,” Yugyeom whined and Mark had to laugh loudly. Jaebeom burst out laughing too.

“Shush,” he hit Yugyeom’s arm, trying really hard to not blush even further.

“You are never shushing me when we-”

“Yah Kim Yugyeom,” BamBam covered the boy’s mouth with his palm and smiled awkwardly at the Alphas. “Just ignore them, haha,” BamBam spoke fast.

Everyone went silent when they smelled Jackson’s scent, high and in distress, a little filthy than his sweet odor, overpowered by Mark’s thick scent. Mark’s heart dropped sensing the boy’s deep rooted distress. Mark got up immediately and turned around. Jackson stood behind Joey, holding onto the back of his hoodie tightly, as if hiding. They could hear whimpers and sniffles clearly because the whole pack was on high alert.

“OMEGA!” Youngjae yelled because he couldn’t bear the anguish that Jackson was radiating. “Are you okay? Does it hurt somewhere?” he asked worriedly, trying to control his body from rushing to the boy and holding him close.

Jackson held onto Joey even tighter and cried into his back loudly.

The entire room was thick with tension.

“Jackson…” Mark called out softly but the boy whimpered even further. “Please stop crying. We are all here…come out please,” Mark urged but the boy didn’t move. Joey looked at Mark with a pained expression because he could feel the boy’s cries getting worse.

“Jackson…come on,” Mark walked towards Joey slowly. His heart did flip flops because Jackson was truly hurting more than he had expected. No matter what, he didn’t like the feeling and he wanted to make it go away.

“Why is he crying?” Yugyeom piped up and Jaebeom shrugged, not really understanding what was wrong.

“Hey Jackson, are you okay?” Jaebeom asked softly and was answered with a wail.

“Jackson, what is wrong-”

Jackson had rushed towards Mark. He pulled him into a tight embrace and sniffed him wildly as if searching for a scent that didn’t belong on his Alpha. His claws had come out and his wolf had taken over, low growls slipping out of his lips as he smelled Mark’s hair, his face, his neck, his hands, his chest.

“What the hell!” Mark didn’t know what was happening but he let Jackson do as he pleased. Once the boy was sure there was no scent on Mark, he hid in his chest and cried.

“Why did he…oh…oh… _ooh_ ,” BamBam covered his mouth and the others looked at him confused. “Awwww…he thinks…he thinks Mark was with someone yesterday…he must have sensed Mark’s arousal because Mark scent marked him yesterday…sheesh, the Alpha’s scent bond is too strong…”

Jackson held Mark closer as if he would vanish if he didn’t.

“Who was it? I can’t smell anyone…who was it?” he cried and the others just smiled softly.

“Jackson-”

He looked up at Mark angrily and his eyes shined. His lips quivered with emotion as he looked into Mark’s eyes, searching for something. “Did you…did you knot-”

He knew he was messing things up, he definitely knew he was but Mark just had a penchant of making things worse. He laughed. He outright laughed in Jackson’s face, making the boy lose what little sanity he had, crashing on his knees and crying even harder.

“ALPHA!” the beta trio yelled at him and growled lowly at his stupidity. Joey and Jaebeom just looked at him with disgust so he stopped laughing.

“True Alphas cannot knot someone without a bond, Jackson. Didn’t you know that?” he patted the boy’s head. The boy looked up at him with tear filled eyes, a runny nose and puppy eyes. It made him laugh again.

“But who was it? Why were you…why were you like that?” he wiped at his eyes, his pain still dominating his whole being.

This time it was Jaebeom who answered. “It was bloodlust, puppy. It wasn’t anything sexual…” he got down on his knees and patted the boy’s head affectionately. He looked at Jaebeom with his doe eyes and pouted, tears still running down his cheeks. Jaebeom wanted so badly to coo at him. Jackson was so cute. His heart burst with the cuteness on display. The betas cooed openly, making Jackson’s cheeks go red.

“The pack killed the pack of the Alpha who touched you yesterday night, Jackson,” he wiped at his eyes carefully, making Jackson close his eyes at the gentleness. “We can’t have some wild Alpha touch you and go free now, can we? Mark killed him and smeared his blood on his body. Alphas have a deep bloodlust when their mate is harmed. That lust was fulfilled when he killed him. His wolf and his human half were in perfect synchrony when they did it. It’s a state of complete bliss because the two exist in complete agreement with equal energy. The body responds like it would when…when you mate…so…so he was hard…that’s why you sensed his arousal. He wasn’t with anybody. He was with us,” Jaebeom finished and rubbed at his cheek even more gently, making him whimper.

“Re-really?” he held Jaebeom’s wrist tightly and looked into his eyes with so much emotion that Jaebeom’s heart moved.

“Yes. He’s never been like that with anyone after he got matched with you…he’s true to the match. He will only ever knot you, puppy,” he cooed and so did the others as they circled him. Mark looked at his pack tending to Jackson and bit his lip. Jackson’s face was red. He wiped at his eyes fiercely. They already looked tired from lack of sleep.

“Pack killed for me…Alpha killed for me,” he cried some more before blushing openly. Unable to handle the onslaught of emotions, he hid his face. The others smiled at how cute everything he did was. After a bit, when he was comfortable Youngjae, BamBam and Yugyeom introduced themselves. The betas were younger than him in age but in terms of title, they weren’t. Their proximity was soothing, their scent was a mix of Mark’s and their own, so Jackson was being smothered by Mark’s scent yet again. Joey and Jaebeom were nearby, comforting him by just being there.

After gathering his bearings, Jackson looked up at Mark. He had misjudged the man terribly. He had made the worst assumptions about him. He had doubted his Alpha’s character. There was no forgiveness for what he had done. But, he had to try. He had to try and beg for forgiveness. Their relationship wasn’t really great, having sweet sour moments ever since the beginning and now Jackson had just made it worse. He felt like shit.

“Can I sniff you?” Youngjae piped near his ear and he snapped his head in his direction. Youngjae’s eyes were shining brightly, his smile was too powerful and Jackson felt blinded for a second by the sheer energy of Youngjae and his wolf. “Please?” he asked again and Jackson looked at Mark, as if seeking permission.

“Don’t look at him. He has no say in this. You are ours just as much as his.” Youngjae pouted at the delay.

Jackson unbuttoned his shirt and moved his collar away. He bared his neck for Youngjae and the beta keened. He felt hot breath on his neck and then the tip of Youngjae’s nose rub fervently against his neck. He moaned at the sensation, gripping the boy’s hair as he sniffed him to his heart’s content. Jackson saw fields of flowers, then snow, a silently flowing stream of water as he felt Youngjae close. It was what his wolf wanted him to see. Youngjae finally moved away after planting a kiss below his lobe. BamBam and Yugyeom followed but they were gentle as compared to Youngjae. The boys made him see beautiful landscapes covered in mist, lush green mountains and a silently flowing stream of water just like Youngjae.

“So sweet, his scent is sweeter now. He’s stabilizing fast,” Yugyeom commented and Mark snorted.

“I can smell his regret so clearly. I guess your noses are just not good enough for it,” he remarked before turning away, not even sparing Jackson a glance. Jackson’s stomach sank immediately. It must show on his face because Joey immediately started rubbing his back affectionately.

“Just…just say sorry. He won’t be mad. He’s never been social anyway…he’s never been with anyone to the extent of having their scent on him…just say sorry…” he urged and Jackson got up.

“Alpha, wait!” Jackson called before could climb Mark the stairs. He stopped in his spot but didn’t turn back. Jackson clambered towards him but didn’t go too close.

“I am sorry, I am so sorry I doubted you. I…I didn’t know that you would…kill…for me. That, that bloodlust could make you like that! You hung up on me and I was scared. I thought you hated me and wanted me gone so…so you were doing that…to get rid of me,” he started crying again. The pack felt bad for the boy. Mark had made him think such horrible things just in a few days of knowing him. They knew that Mark didn’t give the best first impression, or second or third, but he wasn’t what he projected himself as. They had seen the wild anger in his eyes yesterday when he had killed Moran. He would never let Jackson be in harm’s way. He was possessive for the boy, he was accepting of the fact that Jackson would be in their pack. He was just not the best at being warm and affectionate.

Mark turned around and looked at Jackson’s face. It was scrunched up in pain and anguish. It didn’t look good. It didn’t match the image of Jackson he had saved in his head after meeting him, seeing him in his dreams. It was so unlike the Jackson he knew.

It must definitely have something to do with the wolf blood magic because he was suddenly cupping the boy’s face, wiping his tears and clicking his tongue. He didn’t know why he was behaving the way he was but he just didn’t want the boy crying.

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not. I hate myself for even doubting you, I am sorry,” the boy croaked and Mark just sighed.

“It’s okay, Jackson. Now you know that I do not have any intentions of cheating on you or getting rid of you. Right? Stop crying please,” he wiped at the stray tears under his eyes.

Jackson cupped Mark’s hands and looked up at him, eyes still a little watery but a small smile on his face. He looked around. Except for the pack there was nobody there. He knew he was being too forward but his heart was too full to not go with his instincts. He bent forward and planted a kiss on Mark’s cheek, then his forehead, then his other cheek and finally his chin before smiling shyly. Mark was too dazed by the sudden kiss attack so his face turned red, his heart was beating really fast because he wasn’t used to this kind of affection. The most that he was subjected to was his pack mates sniffing and licking him or his mother ruffling his hair but that wasn’t even close to this. This was a romantic kind of affection and it was being shown in front of his pack, the kind of people who were never going to let him live it down if he didn’t reciprocate it right then and there. According to his pack, he was already too cold and mean to Jackson so if he didn’t so something fast, he was going to regret it later.

Jackson was already blushing hard. He wasn’t even looking at Mark. A smile played on his face though and Mark felt like his face was too hot, even for a wolf. He rubbed at his own cheeks because eww, he had never in his life felt affected like this. He looked at his pack and they were holding in their snickers and snide comments, silently observing what Mark was going to do next. He gulped.

What was he afraid of though? He just had to grab Jackson and do something to him that would prove to his pack that he wasn’t a cold, heartless person and that he could reciprocate his affection. He wanted to prove to them that he was all in for this union. May be only then he would be able to go through with the marriage properly. He really needed all of his pack members by his side. His wolf growled lowly at his thoughts but he was successful at quelling him with his power.

“Just so you know, I always finish my breakfast by eating something sweet. Usually, it’s an apple or some honey-nut cookies, or a banana. But today…” he wound his arm around Jackson’s waist and pulled him closer, making him squeak at the suddenness of it all. The tip of their noses touched and Mark could count Jackson’s prettily curled eyelashes if he wanted to. He stared at the boy for a second. He had literally stopped breathing. Is that how his touch affected Jackson? His stomach coiled a bit at the realization. He had to let go of the boy before his body betrayed him again. He quickly planted a smack on Jackson’s cheek, then a few more embarrassingly loud ones. He pulled back and looked into the boy’s eyes. “it’s something sweeter.”

Jackson’s eyes widened comically and his cheeks gained even more redness. There was so much shyness on his face that Mark’s heart beat funnily. The omega’s eyes were downcast and he was biting his lip. When someone cleared their throat behind them, Jackson pushed him away quickly, turning to face the fall where nobody could see his face. Silent snickers could be heard from the pack and then they turned into full blown laughter.

“Eww, so cheesy,” BamBam pointed at Mark and he rolled his eyes.

“He just makes me cheesy, what to do?” Mark put his arm around Jackson’s neck and led him to the table. “He’s always so red, I don’t know, do you have a skin condition, Jackson?”

Jackson hid his face then, making everyone laugh even more. After a beat, he moved his hands away and smiled, still unable to look at Mark, who was now serving him breakfast. He really couldn’t just sit there and get served breakfast from his Alpha now, could he? He immediately got up but was pushed down just as fast by Joey.

“2018. Just sit and eat. Don’t worry, nobody will mind it. I am sure Pa asked him to cook for you. We are chill here.” Jackson relaxed a bit at that. He started eating silently but felt all eyes on him.

“Izz delishuss,” he mouthed while chewing and they laughed.

“Tell it to the person who made it,” Jaebeom urged and Jackson coughed. Mark handed him a glass of water immediately and the betas clapped.

“This is like watching a drama,” Yugyeom cooed at his Alpha. “Alpha is so cute with him but I agree with Joey, he’s too borin-”

“HE’S NOT! HE’S REALLY BOLD AND DOES THE MOST EMBARASSING THINGS TO ME!” Jackson yelled and froze. He covered his mouth and cursed under his breath. He composed himself fast and sat upright again, as if he hadn’t said anything at all.

“He’s not boring,” he muttered and they all just stared at him fondly. Jackson was truly in love with their dumbass Alpha, and they were in love with him. Oh how beautiful this feeling was, how amazing it felt that now their pack was somehow stronger and fuller than before. The main omega always remained the center of a pack’s strength because the omega held the pack together. The happier the pack Alpha, the stronger the pack. His happiness was always attributed to the omega. Omegas were known to bring harmony to packs, so much that the pack’s bond would evolve because of their love and care. They felt dizzy with happiness imagining Jackson officially joining the pack. If they were so entranced by him now, how would they feel when they saw him up and about in the house, fretting over mundane things, running with them on hunts, planning with them on the-

Mark could hear their thoughts clearly and his growl, which only they could hear through the bond, startled them all. He widened his eyes at them because no, they weren’t going to let Jackson in on everything just yet. Jackson was young and delicate, he couldn’t handle the deep rooted secrets that were hidden from him, could he? BamBam grimaced at Mark’s thoughts and looked away. Youngjae pouted and cuddled Yugyeom close. Joey and Jaebeom just huffed at Mark’s thoughts.

“Thank you for having me,” Jackson said and they immediately looked at him.

“This is your house. Just a few weeks until Mark whisks you away and we can have you here with us every day. I can’t wait to wake up to your scent, omega,” Youngjae sniffed his hair and Jackson blushed.

“Me too. You are already making us so happy.” Yugyeom planted kisses on his head and BamBam back-hugged him. This kind of affection was uncommon for him. The packs that he had seen hadn’t been this affectionate but that may be because they didn’t have many betas. Betas were always known to be jovial and affectionate, always making sure the pack was upbeat and happy. He felt lucky that the pack had taken a liking to him, the betas were already eager to have him. He stole a glance at Mark and noticed him smiling fondly at the beta pups. So is this how Mark looked when he gazed at someone he loved? Would Mark ever look at him like that? He didn’t know the answer to that but he was certainly willing to try and find out.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel bad for Jackson, i really do but he has to brave through shit to get what he deserves. It's just how it is. I am sorry. Ignore typos and stupid mistakes. didnt have time to proof read.
> 
> <3


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little look at the wolf universe. History check of sorts. Guys, please pull through. A little JJP interaction on here too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for a longggggggg ass break between chapters. It gets really tiring to complete a chapter because this is such a long ass story omg i am already repenting having such detailed plot and universe for this story. 
> 
> There's still so much to go until it ends. I hope I haven't bored you already. The names used in this chapter are related to wolves in one way or the other. I have no intention of hurting anyone's feelings. So please keep that in mind. I hope you like this chapter. Things will pick up speed henceforth. Thank you for waiting so long. I haven't replied to so many comments. I am so sorry. I will try to reply to all of them in the future. If i have missed any of your comments, i am so sorry. Here's sending love <3

Mark grazed his fingers over the cold of the stone. It never ceased to amaze him how well the bust was crafted. Power surged inside him every time he touched it. It made him feel complete and incomplete at the same time. His father had told him that the place excited his wolf powers and because he was un-bonded, the feeling of being incomplete was felt strongly by him.

True Alphas from around Howlers Bay had started crowding the underground chamber of their headquarters. These meetings were what Mark looked forward to every month. It made him feel like he had a sense of purpose. He was made aware of new findings or told about the great history of his ancestors at these meetings while they collectively tried to solve the biggest problem the weakening of the Bay’s powers. As one of the descendants of Lykiaos, Mark couldn’t help but feel more responsible for Howlers Bay and its safety.

Lykiaos and Fraulan were brothers born to a powerful sorcerer named Scythia. Abandoned by her lover Damarchus, Scythia, with the use of her dark magic had created two sons to seek vengeance. She had sacrificed two grown wolves and used their spirits to make her spell work. For days she had chanted spells, performed ceremonial rituals, drank the blood of the wolves, and channelled the power inside her to the fullest to make the extremely hard task possible.

Unable to control her volatile dark magic while creating the two, she had snapped her magical core and become powerless and weak. As the boys grew up with the sole ambition of taking revenge for their mother’s heart break, their magic had quickly taken a strong, dark form. They could summon animate and inanimate objects by the age of five, kill small animals by eight and perform complex spells and curses as early teenagers. Their power was so immense that Scythia was tempted to quietly steal it from their core to make herself strong enough to rebuild her own damaged core. However, she was too weak to even attempt it.

Lykiaos, the elder son, was quiet, calculating, selfish and cunning. Always obeying his mother’s every command, he was the kind of sorcerer that didn’t like to hear a no. He had no remorse or patience, empathy or love for anybody in the world except his brother Fraulan. Fraulan, on the other hand, was greedy, manipulative, power hungry and vicious under his façade of innocent passiveness. He was cunning to the point of trying to sneakily find ways to steal his brother’s powers. He loved absolutely nobody and nothing in the world.

He was going to be in his brother’s control as long as he wasn’t powerful enough to fight him. The moment he gained the power to throw him off his game, he was going to make the most of his opportunity. But, his intentions had to wait because his magic constantly commanded him to seek vengeance for his mother’s heartbreak. It was something about the purpose with which he was made that he couldn’t do much on his own and his magic wouldn’t co-operate with him to do what he actually longed for. 

Scythia saw in Lykiaos the potential to kill without mercy and that is what she needed to destroy Damarchus, her former lover. Fraulan never seemed of much value to her. He was always in his brother’s shadow, staring into space, as if trying to figure out his reason for breathing. She always favoured Lykiaos over him because of how dull and incompetent he seemed. Fraulan saw it all- her partiality, her need for obedience from Lykiaos, her greed for his power and hunger to regain her magic. Fraulan would remember every moment of this torture. It would make him into someone nobody would love. It angered him to an extent but he knew that if his mother went ahead and tried to steal magic from Lykiaos’s core then he would weaken. It would be the perfect moment to attack his brother and end him forever so that he could become the most powerful sorcerer there was in Alysania.

**

 

If Scythia was a dark sorcerer then Damarchus was no less. He was a spy, a shape shifting nomad who had strayed into a small village of Alysania during the war of the Elders. While the Elders of Alysania fought between themselves, their subjects indulged in little clashes of their own, leading to a mass upheaval of their society, mixing their common folk with sorcerers and nomads with the city folk, resulting in the magic evolving on its own in that time and space. Many had gained powers that they didn’t know of, lost skills that they were born with, started seeing things that they didn’t understand and experiencing a whirlwind of the unknown magic surrounding them.

Damarchus had gained monumental powers due to the shift in his magic. His shape shifting abilities had gone up a notch. He could shape shift for days without finding the need to return to his human form. He had come to realize that his human conscious would still remain intact while in a different form, something which had never happened before. His affinity to shifting into a wolf was almost scary because he usually shifted into a bird or a small insect to spy for one of the Elders. He would grunt like a wolf when he was angry, almost feel a presence of a wolf inside himself when his emotions went a little crazy.

One crazy night, in his haze of shifting into a wolf and running wild into the forest, he had met Scythia. Beautiful from top to bottom, the red-headed woman looked ethereal in the backdrop of the eerily quiet forest. He had felt his heart beat quicken at the beauty that he saw in front of his very eyes. A burning desire to undress the woman and slam into her took over his body. The wolf inside him incited in him an animalistic greed and need to mate, to devour, destroy and claim the woman in front of him.

Busy plucking healing herbs, young Scythia had no idea that a stranger lurked behind her. A snap of a twig made her turn around in fear and shoot a shield spell. In the dim light of her shield, she saw a handsome, young man staring back at her. His skin was dark, unlike the Alysanians she was used to seeing. He was tall and manly in a way that made her skin tingle funnily. Wanting to actually see his face, she increased the intensity of her shield and strode towards him fearlessly.

Her shield flickered, as if due to the proximity, the man’s magic coming in contact with hers. She went into a haze, saw beautiful landscapes, a silently flowing stream of water, deep forests, a magnificent brown wolf in his full glory, staring at her with gleaming red eyes. She wept at the onslaught of emotions she felt, yearning hitting her square in the chest as if she had met her destiny. Her tears broke the shield, unstable emotions messing up her magic. Her knees felt weak and before she could conduct herself like a lady, she was already crashing on the ground, gasping for a breath because she was experiencing something she never had before.

“Shifter…a wolf…you are a wolf,” she muttered as she tried to get herself together. Her magic thrummed stronger through her veins, so much that she could feel her fingertips tingling with it. It was as if she was getting stronger, the knots in her magic slowly resolving, powers broadening in the man’s proximity.

“And you…a mind reader…your core is that of the fire element, burning, all-encompassing and fiery. You are viciously beautiful, my lady,” Damarchus gently pulled her up by her elbows. The contact made him feel dizzy. He felt a warm heat encompass his body, the wolf inside him grew stronger and bolder, uttering a single word ‘mate’ into his conscious.

Scythia looked up at him and smiled, unsure of how she was really going to deal with her magic evolving fast inside her.

“Will you give this poor nomad a chance to help you, my lady?” the man asked and she felt herself nod. It was the beginning of a whole new world and they both didn’t even know.

**

Damarchus was never a man who stayed in a place for too long. He was a nomad, moving from place to place, taking up odd jobs to cover up his job as a spy. However, Scythia had him hooked to Arrca, her village. The Elders were tired of fighting, experiencing the magic around them change. Curious as to what the world held now that the magic had evolved, they had stopped making a mess, thickening the shield around Alysania and capturing any sorcerers who were reported to have gone too powerful and rogue.

Damarchus was totally smitten with Scythia, so much that he couldn’t even think straight when she wasn’t around. Their first time together had been a life changing happenstance because he had bit her, drawn blood and stayed inside her for hours without feeling tired. She had taken him the way he had expected, her eyes glowed like two suns, yellow and fierce, as if her core had suddenly turned from a fire of few flames to a huge bonfire. She had bit him in retaliation, also drawn blood and cried in his arms, calling him her forever.

More than the physical aspect of togetherness, their magic had entwined together in a way that Damarchus could now read Scythia’s thoughts just like she could read his. He could clearly pinpoint her presence anywhere is Arrca as if it wasn’t a big deal. The wolf in him was now stronger and sharper, growing bigger and bigger every time he spent the night with Scythia.

Scythia could feel a magnetic pull towards Damarchus. Her need to be around him grew day by day. Whenever he was away on his job, she would writhe and cry in pain because her mind would keep following him everywhere. Her body would yearn for his touch, her mind would yearn for his words and she would writhe even more in his memory. She would call upon him, seeing visuals of his wolf form, brown and magnanimous, fur soft and smelling like the moonlight, eyes gleaming like the red of Mars and claws dangerous enough to tear her into two.

Her need to possess Damarchus was so maddening that she would curse any woman in his vicinity, any girl who even laid eyes on him, tried to bed him or be with him in any capacity. Damarchus loved Scythia but he couldn’t bear the way she was becoming obsessive about him. Hell broke loose when he realized that she couldn’t bear children for him because her core wasn’t strong enough to divide. She had spent her magic cursing, using it for her own selfish gains so her core had turned weaker. Every kind of magic she used to shield this truth from him had failed because his wolf could easily navigate through her mind and tell him exactly what she was hiding.

Scythia would faint for hours after their strenuous sessions of intense lovemaking but still beg for it every day. Damarchus just couldn’t refuse Scythia, he couldn’t but deep down he knew he had to stop it somewhere. As his senses calmed down, he had realized that the wolf inside him wanted to split his powers and that he alone wasn’t enough of a vessel. The wolf would tell him how the splitting would be too painful to bear but how it was absolutely essential for him to survive. He had grown attached to the animal that now had taken his body, brain and heart hostage so he wanted to do everything in his power to keep the power of the wolf alive. Not only did the animal make him stronger but also made him a better human being. He had to find a mate who could bear him children. Every time he thought about it, his body would throb and his wolf would yell in pain. He had no idea what was happening, nor the animal inside him.

Scythia could read his thoughts clearly when he was inside of her, ramming into her and begging her to bear him children. She could see how he pictured holding a little baby in his arms, smiling up at her fondly. She could feel the warmth of his fingers when he turned her nipples gently and cried about how no baby would never feed from her. He would still make love to her through the night, every time he did it, a part of him would shut off from her, unreadable and locked away. The wolf had learned the trick to lock a part of Damarchus away and no matter how much she tried to breach the walls the animal had built, she couldn’t succeed.

“If you bed someone else just because I cannot bear you children…” she had mustered the courage to actually say the words instead of letting the man read her thoughts, “I will not forgive you, Marcus.” She had bitten him everywhere, as if claiming him with every bite and crying into his chest as she rode him agonizingly slowly, trying to hold onto the feeling of having the man close.

It didn’t last long. The wolf made it clear that he couldn’t contain himself anymore, the power that he was trying to hold was going berserk and if Damarchus didn’t mate and bear babies, it would slowly rip his core apart, his soul would crumble and his body would never heal of the wounds the power would inflict.

On a stormy night, Damarchus had left Scythia’s side, choosing his wolf over his love, or so he thought. The wolf wept in silence, his red eyes looked like they were bleeding. The wolf made him give a part of his magic to Scythia so her core would always have him. Because it was the wolf’s magic, Scythia would never detect it but it would always stay with her, keep her safe, give her power if she ever needed it. Damarchus was leaving without a goodbye and if he had known one thing about the woman lying in his bed, spent and tired, was that he loved her.

**

The separation and a sense of betrayal had turned Scythia into a totally dark sorcerer. She gained strength from the negativity and hatred she felt for Damarchus. She had learned many forbidden spells over a period of few years, trading her body, her magic and her mind reading skills to gain what she wanted. Every time she did something to hurt herself, her body would react in a way she didn’t understand. She didn’t know that the wolf’s magic tried to protect her, shield her from harm’s way. Over time, she just learned to deal with the pain. Her expertise in dark spells, curses and magic had earned her quite a reputation and she had used it quite well to her advantage.

From one of her dalliances, she had gotten to know a forbidden spell that could create creatures of magic to do the creator’s bidding. But, it would require sacrifice-blood, healthy animals and most of all- the creator’s magic. Every sorcerer who had tried to work the spell out had lost their magic. It was a deadly attempt.

Scythia was greedy and over confident. She thought she could do it without losing most of her powers. She had chosen to sacrifice two wolves because it somehow made her feel like she was making Damarchus pay for his betrayal. After three days of intense efforts, almost bleeding out to death and summoning all of her magic to do the spells, she had created two boys to kill Damarchus. She was going to make him pay for what he had done to her. She could no longer feel connected to him and that riled her up even more. She couldn’t feel the heavy presence of his scent on her body anymore and it broke her heart. She had no idea that the wolf’s magic had waned considerably in the attempt to save her from dying, constantly trying to keep her alive while she threw dark spells one after the other.

Scythia didn’t know that her sons had a bit of Damarchus in them because she had created them thinking only about him and she had the wolf’s magic in her. When her core had snapped, the wolf’s magic had transferred into her children. It laid dormant in their cores until they reached adulthood. The wolf’s protective magic had turned them into shifters.

When they first shifted, Scythia almost died of shock, unable to understand how they could, that too into wolves. She was furious and agitated, the absence of her magic making matters even worse. The only good thing about them becoming wolves was that they were extremely obedient to her, especially Lykiaos.

Scythia didn’t know what was happening but when she understood that her sons were connected to Damarchus through the wolves inside them, her heart churned with pain and pleasure at the same time. She could finally see the man who had broken her heart and make him pay. She could finally get the revenge she so much wanted.

They rode towards Damarchus because Lykiaos was sure they couldn’t use their magic in the place he now resided. Scythia was too weak to perform even simple spells so they had to find another way.

“He has heavily shielded it, Mother. I can feel it. We cannot try to breach his shield, it will send him a warning. We will have to reach him the old fashioned way,” he had said.

Fraulan had almost no will to go see the man he was supposed to kill but his magic wouldn’t let him stay back. Hoping against hope that he would finally be free of his obligation to his mother, he rode with Lykiaos and Scythia.

A twenty day journey had brought them to a port. They would have to sail into the sea for another two days to get to the place where the man was hiding, or living, or being a mess, they didn’t know.

**

“We have found out that the Alorans are devising a new plan to permanently damage the Bay. If they succeed, we will be in danger of being exposed to the human world. For centuries we have successfully remained hidden here due to the Bay’s shield, we cannot afford be exposed to them.”

Mark sighed as he heard one of the main Alphas with the intelligence team share the information.

“What are they trying to do?”

“They want to speed up the growth of the bane.”

Collective grunts followed the statement.

“Alphas, I think we will have to involve other Alphas-” Mark tried to speak.

“Only true Alphas have the power to rebuild the-”

Mark sighed.

“I know. But if we do not involve the other wolves, it will be really difficult for us to find a solution to this problem. As you all know, I have been matched with a male mate so I cannot bear pups…” he closed his eyes in frustration.

Zen, one of the Alphas from a noble true Alpha family, stood up.

“Alphas, I think I may have found a solution to our problem…but…but it may not be an easy one, let alone a possible one…”

The room was in a pin drop silence. There was no way someone had found a solution to the problem that had haunted the Bay for years now.

“We know that the wolfsbane at the base of the Bay’s core has somehow started to spread. It was under control for over a hundred years after the war but now it isn’t. We still don’t know how the Alorans planted it there in the first place…we also don’t know what kind of bane is this since it grows in the pure water of the Bay, even with all its shields and powers…it has completely destroyed the Bay’s water.”

The Alphas in the room grunted in displeasure and pain.

Mark could think of all the times different packs of true alphas had tried to swim towards the core and failed because the water was poisonous…they would become insanely violent and hard to control. Once imprisoned, they would lose their senses for a moon cycle and writhe in pain for days afterwards…it had been a horrendous experience. So far, every pack who had tried it had only sustained for about five minutes in the poisonous water of the Bay.

“We need a wolf that sustains the bane…the poison, the gut wrenching pain, the innate desire that the poison evokes in the wolf to destroy and kill so that they are conscious enough to swim to the depth of the Bay and weed out the bane with their own bare hands…”

Everybody stared at Zen in confusion until Mark understood.

“You mean we need to find a Prime?”

There were collective gasps heard from the Alphas in the room.

“Yes. A Prime.”

“But it’s been ages since a Prime last appeared…and we have propagated that it’s an abnormality…it might as well be a legend…”

“Lady Scythia’s fire core had to be re-moulded into an earth one so she could get her magic back…she was the first Prime…her lineage…”

“We don’t know if anyone from her lineage even survived the war…we do not know much about her family and if there were any Primes in her family before she met Lord Damarchus…”

Mark felt a vein in his head pop. The things that they didn’t know about were really causing a problem. He felt helpless and angry.

“The wolves are bound by magic to not reveal their evolution in order to keep packs safe so we cannot ask them…we have our hands tied…”

“Alpha, do you have any idea about how we could find a Prime in the Bay?” Mark looked at Zen with hope in his eyes.

The Alpha moved in his spot uncomfortably.

“I could only think of subjecting every omega to a dip in the Bay and see how they react-”

Wolves howled in retaliation at the suggestion. Their omegas were the centre of their packs. No omega was even allowed near the Bay since the water was turning more poisonous. The bane could kill omegas easily as compared to the Alphas, it could even dissolve the mate and pack bond. It was too big a risk any pack was willing to take just for an experiment.

“Male omegas could be a little more resistant to the pois-”

“We disagree. Many of the Alphas here have been matched with male omegas and those who were matched with female ones, do we want to risk their lives? Risk the possibility of taking this lineage forward with the pups the female omegas can bear?” one of the Alphas roared and Zen put his head down in defeat.

“How about we try to use the technology from the human world to weed out the bane? We use so much of it in our daily lives. We can send an underwater submarine to check what we are dealing with…and may be then we can revaluate our options?” Mark suggested and the Alphas started to murmur amongst themselves.

“Will the shield allow that?”

Mark comprehended the question for a few moments before bracing himself.

“It has weakened considerably. It might if one of us was inside those robotic submarines or whatever they are called…”

“YI EN!” Mark’s father yelled and he felt his whole body stiffen. “What do you think you are saying?” he stormed towards him and Mark stilled at the whole aura his father was giving out. He was not happy.

“No pack will allow this…what kind of ideas are you spouting?”

The sheer energy in the room had gone up by notches and Mark felt cornered. He bowed, got on his knees and bowed again until the Alphas calmed down.

“I understand your desperation to save the Bay but decreasing our strength is not a smart choice.”

“But-”

“Enough. We will take under review the idea of involving other wolves in this. Zen, try to find more about Primes. May be we are missing something?”

Zen nodded and Mark sighed.

“Now, let us talk about how to handle the Alorans.”

 

**

“One week to go, Jackson,” Jinyoung smiled as they lounged on the bed together.

“Nervous?”

Jackson sighed.

“What is it?”

“I don’t think he’s happy with this match…”

Jinyoung sat up straight and tugged at Jackson’s arm.

“Can you please not think like this? He’s your mate. There’s no way he won’t be head over heels for you once you-”

“That’s what is bothering me. This is a union that he has to ‘go through’! This isn’t what he really wanted. He wanted pups, a female omega…”

“The moment he put his blood into the bowl, he was ready to accept the match it would give him. Now stop whining and let’s go shopping.”

Mark had not contacted Jackson after that last lunch which he had at his house. But he had sent a text to let him know that he would be busy. Because Jackson was heavily scented, Mark didn’t have any reason to see him up until the marriage.

The marriage ceremony in itself wasn’t a long event. It only consisted of thanking the bowl, praying for the blessings of their ancestors and dining. The wolves had to eat before they went into an emotional state so a full course meal was arranged from the omega’s family.

The omega’s family Alphas would then give him away to the Alpha with a blood bond that swore solidarity to his new family above all other bonds. The Alpha would then accept the omega with the permission of the elders in his family. The couple then said their vows and prayed together to the moon and Mars for blessings. A little of the Bay’s water would be sprinkled on them so they were blessed by the Bay. However, ever since the Bay had been poisoned, it was risky to keep doing the custom so the Bay water was heavily diluted in order to not harm anyone.

Under the moonlight, the omega would have to get in his Alpha’s lap and bare his neck for his bite in the presence of his new pack. After the bite, he would be branded with the pack symbol in a place of his choice. The whole affair took less than two hours but Jackson somehow felt like his wedding would last for a long time.

It was customary for the omega to wear white silk robes for the wedding. It was to signify that the omega was pure and untainted at the time of marriage and shined brightly in the moonlight. Silk also repelled any scents from taking hold on the omega’s body for long.

Jinyoung and Jackson were shopping for those very white robes and some jewellery to go with it.

“I don’t like anything here. Do you think we should buy it tomorrow when mom’s with us?” Jackson looked at Jinyoung with a bored expression and the boy sighed.

Hyunsik was just outside, laughing with his pack. Jackson felt envious. Would he ever be this happy with his pack? He was sure the betas would make him laugh a lot but what about the Alphas? What about his own Alpha? The thought made him feel jittery. Mark was going to be his husband in less than four days now. He clutched at one of the robes tightly as the realization sunk in.

“Do you like this one?” Jinyoung asked, looking at him grip the robe. Jackson let it go immediately and shook his head.

“Let’s go look at some jewellery. I don’t like the robes here.”

Jackson loved jewellery. Wolves didn’t wear silver much but Jackson personally loved silver jewellery. Since the jewellery wasn’t always made of the purest silver to keep it from hindering a wolf’s healing powers, Jackson settled to buy a small crescent moon pendant in a thin silver chain. He was so happy to have found something that he truly liked. Just when he was about to pay for it, the store bell dinged and group of people walked in. Jackson’s heart beat picked up at the scent hitting him square in the chest. He almost choked with it so Jinyoung held him close.

“What happened?”

However, his question was answered the minute he smelled the scent himself.

“Oh God, what is this jerk doing here?” Jinyoung muttered into Jackson’s ear and got elbowed. “Hey…” he whined in return.

Jackson straightened and turned around. Mark was on the other side of the store with a group of people Jackson didn’t recognize. Probably, Mark hadn’t sensed him yet because there was a big mixture of Alpha scents in the store now. Jackson almost felt dizzy due to it. His emotions had suddenly heightened sensing his Alpha close. He stood looking at Mark’s back. The elder was busy talking to his friend and checking out clothes until he straightened, paused mid-sentence and gulped.

“Vanilla…Woody Patchouli,” he whispered and turned around. He found Jackson staring at the ground and Jinyoung holding him by the elbow.

“Oh, Jackson, hi,” he muttered as he walked up to the younger. Jinyoung’s grip on his elbow had suddenly tightened, as if too scared to let go.

Jackson bowed in response, eyes still downcast.

Mark’s friends suddenly crowded around him, keenly inspecting Jackson and Jinyoung.

“Which one of them is it? Gosh, they smell similar, their harmony is no joke. Are they brothers?” one of them asked, rubbing his nose because Jackson’s scent was becoming stronger due to nervousness.

“It’s him.” Jinyoung pointed at Jackson. “I do not smell like this Alpha, sorry,” he clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes as he looked at Mark. The wolves widened their eyes at being addressed like that so Mark took a step forward.

“Have you no manners, omega?”

“Oh, I do. I just keep them reserved for the people I like.” The retort had Jackson snapping his head in Jinyoung’s direction and growling lowly. It made Mark take a step back because he wasn’t getting into a fight with Jinyoung when he was this close to getting married to Jackson without incident.

“Hey Yi En, I parked the car around the-” Jaebeom had walked in not knowing what was happening. The whole mood had him snap his mouth shut. Jackson’s face straightened and he tried not to bite Jinyoung’s head off. When Jaebeom’s eyes landed on Jackson, he smiled warmly.

“Oh, hey puppy,” he called sweetly and Jackson couldn’t help but smile shyly.

“Ewww,” Jinyoung grimaced and let Jackson’s arm go. “What hell kind of a pet name is that? He’s not a baby,” he complained and Jackson’s clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“Can you not be like this for once, Jinyoung-ah?” he pulled him close and muttered, smiling awkwardly at Jaebeom, hoping he wasn’t angry. Jinyoung pushed him away.

“I don’t need your permission to call my pack mate whatever the hell I want, omega,” Jaebeom snapped and Jackson bit his lip nervously.

“Last time I checked, he is still not married to your Alpha. Why don’t you keep these embarrassing pet names reserved after he gets married to Mr Angry Wolf over here?” he tilted his head towards Mark. The wolves around them silently snickered.

“You have some guts to call my Alpha names in front of me,” Jaebeom strode towards Jinyoung and stood in front of him, tall and broad, making Jinyoung take an impulsive step back. He bit his lip at Jaebeom’s scent and closed his eyes, shaking his head twice to not feel dizzy.

“It’s not my fault he’s an angry wolf,” he whined while scratching his neck. The pout of his lips made Jaebeom forget the insult he had planned in his head. He stared at the omega’s plump pink bottom lip currently being bitten on nervously.

Mark cleared his throat just then, making Jackson flinch.

“I am sorry, he has a problem with his tongue,” he muttered and Mark couldn’t help but snicker at that.

“And you have a problem with your head, you dumbass,” Jinyoung retorted back making Jackson sigh.

“Shut up now, will you?” he scolded, making Jinyoung pout even more.

Hyunsik came rushing in with the rest of his pack, visibly relaxing at the sight of Mark. He greeted the Alpha with a tilt of his head. Mark greeted him with a small bow and a smile.

“Your little brother is a troublemaker, Alpha,” he said light-heartedly.

Hyunsik sighed. “What did you do now?” he walked towards Jinyoung nervously while bowing at the other wolves.

“Apparently, he cannot keep his mouth shut,” Jaebeom replied, putting his hands in his pockets and moving away, making Jinyoung look into his eyes for a brief moment. He looked away immediately, as if burned.

“We were just leaving. Jinyoung, let’s go,” Jackson bowed repeatedly at Mark and Jaebeom. He grabbed Jinyoung again and pulled him towards the exit.

“WAIT!” Mark said urgently, making the younger stop in his tracks. His heart was going berserk at being addressed by Mark again. It was weird to be in the presence of so many wolves and be the centre of attention when Jinyoung had set a different kind of mood.

The other wolves whistled and cheered for Mark. He, on the other hand, scratched the back of his neck.

“Err…did you buy something?” he asked softly and Jackson finally looked at him. A blush quickly crept on his face and it felt warm. He tried really hard to keep a straight face. More snickers followed.

“I was about to pay. I bought something.”

“Oh. Cool. Let me get it for you,” he muttered and walked past Jackson towards the billing counter before anybody could say anything.

Jackson stood still, not sure what the hell was happening. Mark walked back with a box.

“Here. It’s really nice.” He smiled and Jackson felt like he was going to faint when he accepted it.

“But…I…you…”

“Consider it an early wedding present,” Mark muttered and hoots followed.

“Did you buy the robes yet?”

The younger shook his head at the question. He was sure his face was red so he quickly grabbed Jinyoung’s wrist and rushed towards the exit. Just before stepping out, he stopped short and turned around.

Mark looked at him right in the eyes.

“Thank you, Alpha,” Jackson smiled wide, stunning Mark instantly. If he felt a little hot and bothered by that shining smile, he hid it well.

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If there's anything you did not understand, please ask me. I can't get into excruciating details because that makes the chapter too long. I am only sticking to essential details as of now. 
> 
> Forgive any grave mistakes or typos, I tend to make many because i take a lot of breaks and write at ungodly hours. Much love to you. thank you for reading.
> 
> xoxo


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What is wrong with Mark? What about Jackson? What about Primes?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are a lot of timelines in play in this chapter. If you get confused, please comment. I have tried my best to contain the info that I want to share about the world before and after Alora and the Bay were formed. If there's anything you don't understand, let me know.   
> This chapter has been hanging over my head since long but i have finally managed to complete it. Double update as a sincere sorry :)  
> forgive any grammatical errors.

Jackson was fidgety, Fie was fidgety and as a whole, they were driving Jinyoung crazy. As planned, Jinyoung was taking Jackson out for dinner. He had invited all the omegas they both knew. It was much like a bachelor party for Jackson. It was a big deal because a betrothed omega was allowed to celebrate his last few bond free days with his omega friends. There was no restriction. Drinks would flow freely and the omegas would pump out pheromones like crazy so restaurants had special areas built to contain their scents. Family alphas would always be around to make sure everything was alright. It was a fun night, actually. Every betrothed omega looked forward to it but Jackson, however, felt nervous.

“Can you please calm the fuck down?” Jinyoung had finally lost it. He shook Jackson by the shoulders and a whine escaped his lips.

“I…I am trying, okay? I am just restless. I don’t know why. I keep getting a bad feeling…”

Jinyoung sighed. He already had a bad feeling about Jackson’s wedding. He did not trust the Alpha one bit. Letting Jackson go was already doing a number on his head. To add to that, Mark was a big problem. He had felt a bit assured when he came to know that Mark had killed for Jackson but somehow something seemed very off about the man. Keeping his insecurities to himself, he decided to pull himself together.

“Everything will be alright, Jackson. Trust me, okay? It’s just a party. Don’t be nervous. It’s not like Mark’s gonna show up there.”

Jackson stiffened in his grip, his face turned red and eyes wide. Jinyoung couldn’t help but click his tongue.

“So sensitive,” he pulled the boy closer and hugged him, nuzzling in his hair protectively. Jackson held him tighter and relaxed as he smelled Prince’s familiar scent. They stayed like that for a bit before Jinyoung held him tighter and breathed heavily. Tears brimmed in his eyes as he threaded his fingers through Jackson’s hair.

“I…I will miss you so much…” he muttered and felt Jackson sniffle against his shoulder. It didn’t take long for Jinyoung to rub his nose against Jackson’s neck. He cried some more. Jackson would be out of his reach, smell like someone else and be away from him for an extended period of time. The freedom of coming and seeing him any time he wanted, cuddling with him, relaxing in his bed with their wolves in harmony would no longer exist.

“Jin…young-ah…I…I am scared,” Jackson whimpered as he bunched his shirt.

Jackson’s heightened scent had made his body hypersensitive, like a fragile doll and the moment Jinyoung’s hot skin touched his, he whined.

Jinyoung kissed his head in apology and finally nuzzled into his shoulder. Jackson cradled his head lovingly and let him do as he pleased.

“You are my best friend,” Jinyoung cried as he kissed the spot on the boy’s neck where the mate mark would go. “I hate Mark,” he groaned. The boy moved in his hold uncomfortably as if it physically hurt him to hear stuff against his Alpha.

“Promise me…promise me you will tell me if he treats you badly. Jackson…I…” Jinyoung couldn’t continue as he felt so many emotions bubble up in his chest.

Jackson hugged him back tightly and nuzzled in his neck. He whimpered immediately as he smelled Prince’s possessiveness. Bonds between omegas were different than other bonds. They were gentle and nurturing, loving and caring. There was no want or need in omega bonds. There was only love and care but Prince had always been a fierce wolf. He felt the rush of Prince’s emotions take over him as he smelled Jinyoung more and more. For a split second, Jackson wished Jinyoung was an Alpha and his body jerked.

Mark’s scent opposed his thoughts strongly, reminding him of who he belonged to. The scent bond was no joke. It got stronger and stronger as the wedding approached. Jackson had felt it strengthen whenever he thought about the Alpha. The bond would make his body tingle. Wetness would gather between his legs fast and his heart would palpitate like crazy. His body would twitch with yearning to be touched and caressed by Mark. Alpha scent would overwhelm him to the point of smothering him with it. And now it had shot a wave of cold pain down his spine for a split second selfish thought.

He whimpered as pain radiated through his body once more. Jinyoung held him close and planted quick kisses on his forehead in order to help.

“You will be alright, Sseunie, my Sseunie,” Jinyoung continued holding him until they both felt smothered with each other’s scents, enjoying the moment as long as they could.

**

“Look who’s here!” Steve, Jackson’s friend from the academy yelled as Jinyoung and Jackson made way into the enclosed space where at least thirty omegas were seated. Everyone was dressed in impeccable designer suits and expensive jewellery. Their scents were floating heavily across the room. Jackson could differentiate each one of them if he wanted to because he was just that good. The impending marriage had made his senses stronger and sharper. He felt himself hum.

Some of the omegas around Jackson had constantly prayed to the bowl to be matched with Mark, some had been really jealous when they had found out Jackson had matched with him. But Jackson didn’t mind them. He knew that the moment the bowl had chosen him as Mark’s, they had started to respect it without any malice. That’s just how omegas worked.

He had never had the hots for any of the Alphas that the others had dreamed about. He didn’t even know Mark before they had matched. But he knew what it felt like to be an omega with dreams. His heart stuttered at the realization that his dreams of a happy life with his Alpha may never come true. When he was called upon again, he pulled himself together, although his heart clenched again.

He smiled wide as the others clapped and hooted. Some female omegas were seated in a corner, sipping cocktails. They waved at him madly and he dashed towards them.

“You guys came!!!” he muttered as they hugged him.

“Of course, dummy. Why wouldn’t we? We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“Let’s dance, you guys,” Jinyoung yelled.

“Hold up, hold up, we have a surprise for our little betrothed omega,” Kahn yelled. Jackson turned around to see a man sized cut-out of someone being ushered into the room. THEY DID NOT!

He squeaked as he saw Mark’s half naked cut out being placed at the centre of the dance floor. The Alpha was shirtless and his pants were hanging a bit too low. Jackson blushed scarlet and couldn’t even look at it anymore. He hid his face and groaned.

“It’s a real picture cut out, Jacks. We didn’t make it up…you don’t know the lengths we went to, to get this for you,” Kahn giggled. “I must say, the betas of your pack are so co-operative…”

“You called the betas? How?”

“Youngjae is my pack beta’s friend…” Jaehyung giggled. Jackson hid his face again. So, the betas knew what Jackson was seeing. Holy Bay!

“You guysssss…” he whined and hid behind Jinyoung.

“Look at his chest…his shoulders are so broad…he’ll just haul you up on one and carry you to bed, Jacks,”

“The bed will break,”

“Jacks will break,”

“Since he’s a true Alpha, his size is going to-”

“AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!! SHUT UPPPPPP!” Jackson cried as he hid in Jinyoung’s back.

Everyone laughed and Jackson felt his body heat up. His stomach did a funny flip as he imagined being thrown over Mark’s shoulder roughly.

“Ewwwww…” the change in his scent was too obvious because it was the strongest in the room. They all laughed at his helplessness.

Jackson felt Jinyoung’s body rock with silent snickers. He quickly hit the boy on his arm.

“Not you tooooo,” he whined but back hugged him.

The fervour picked up from there. They danced, ate, and talked, played games, got drunk. Jackson swayed from side to side as the alcohol started doing a number on him. He dreamily looked at Mark’s cut out and pointed at it.

“You cold, cold Alpha,” he clicked his tongue. “You and your weird ways…stop…you are so mean,” he mumbled as he walked towards it. He pouted at it but then rested his head on its heart and held it close. Everybody was too inebriated to comment but some laughed at his childishness.

“You will see how amazing I am, Alpha. Stupid Alpha, stupid.”

He rarely had a lot to drink but today he had crossed his threshold because he wanted to let loose. Jinyoung had pulled him away before he could do something more embarrassing to the cut-out. They danced to the music, bodies close and breaths mixing. It felt good. He didn’t feel any anxiety or any fear in his heart as he felt the omega energy around him surge slowly but surely. Together, omegas were just as strong as Alphas. They could calm each other down, feel each other’s thoughts and states of mind. It was intoxicating, this bond of brotherhood they felt as their wolves let loose. Just like that, Jackson ended the night in the embrace of the people who were genuinely happy about his impending union with one of the most powerful Alphas of Howlers Bay. But was the said Alpha just as happy? He had no idea.

**

Anxiety was not what wolves associated with when they were about to get married. Call Mark unique or the biggest idiot in the world, but he was anxious. However, he wasn’t anxious about the marriage but about what it entailed. He was really apprehensive about Jackson officially joining the pack. The pack bond would evolve in one way or the other when an omega joined in. Nobody knew what kind of evolution it would be. Mark had seen many packs grow stronger, their abilities at communicating with each other improved, healing powers increased, scents evolved, wolves became bigger and some even changed colours.  There was no way of telling what it could do to his pack. However, it was a relief that the change was always empowering. Mark disliked change and he couldn’t think of a change bigger than sharing his life with someone he knew he couldn’t love, but was making him go a bit out of control all the same.

His wolf and his mind kept on giving him mixed signals. He felt his emotions spike now that the wedding was just two days away. His restlessness was palpable even as he madly ran through the forest. His paws didn’t feel eager, his fur didn’t feel as light as it usually did. It was just a big mess. This whole marriage was going to be a big mess which he was never going to be able to get out of. He had seriously considered asking Jackson’s father to break the draw but doing that would completely cripple him and the pack. He couldn’t let that happen since the Bay was getting weaker. Every Alpha had to remain in top shape to be able to tackle problems that could arise in near future, especially the water element Alphas. He had no intention of being weak in the moment of imminent danger, none to dishonour the old wolves.

Mark felt a slight throbbing in his head but didn’t make much of it. Maybe it was due to the stress he was experiencing. Ignoring the pain, he decided to run back home. He was sure there were a lot of errands that needed to be taken care of, most of them wedding related. He howled loudly before making a sharp turn but before he knew it, he stumbled, rolling on the ground like a boulder. He whined as his body felt disoriented and he slowly lost consciousness.

**

Jaebeom and Joey were out running errands, picking up guests that would grace the marriage, buying essentials and gifts and getting the whole estate in order. It was tiring but fulfilling. Jaebeom’s family had also arrived at the estate to help out. They were bonded together like that so it had become an extensive affair. Mark’s relatives had arrived from different parts of the Bay, some who were stationed at human settlements near-by for missions had also arrived. The estate was sprawling with omegas, betas and Alphas alike as the branch families got together to make the most of the occasion.

The last time it had been this big a deal was when Mr Tuan had handed over the reign of the pack to Mark. Fond memories, Jaebeom thought and smiled.

“I think, we just need to confirm with Jackson’s family if they need anything. We should assign a few rooms to them so that Jackson can put in his luggage, get ready and stuff there. What do you think?”

Joey nodded as they stepped out of the car. Before they could move towards the house, Jaebeom crashed. His knees hit the concrete and his body felt weak. Joey followed not long after.

“What’s happening?” Jaebeom held his head, sweating profusely. Was something wrong? Was it Mark? He couldn’t feel his Alpha’s presence as strongly as before. His head was pounding badly. Joey groaned in pain beside him.

“It’s Mark.”

**

_“Jackson.”_

The whisper was deep and intimidating. Jackson had never heard this voice before. He was sure he was hallucinating because he had had too much to drink. Alcohol didn’t last much in their systems anyway. A couple of hours of sleep and they were as good as new. However, it increased the intensity of their scents by leaps and bounds and got their minds running in all directions.

Hyun Sik had dragged them both out and brought them home after it was getting hard to control their scents. Even the special, enclosed space couldn’t hold them any longer.

It felt like it had been long since he had been deposited in his bed. He could sense Jinyoung close, snoring lightly and smelling lightly of alcohol. He turned sides to sleep better.

_“Jackson.”_

He got up, alarmed. He looked around but there was no one there. His room was quiet and dimly lit. He breathed heavily and tried to feel more alert. He shook his head a few times and concentrated on his senses. His head buzzed and a numbing headache set in.

“Fie?” he called his wolf out but he didn’t get a response. He tried again but to no avail. This had never happened before. His wolf would always respond to him. He didn’t feel his presence inside his head or their link. It completely freaked him out.

“Feray?” Jackson cried for his wolf but there was no response. He felt empty, as if his soul was missing.

“JINYOUNG!” he yelled for his friend in anguish and shook the boy’s arm violently.

“Heyyyyy,” he whined as he held his head in his hands and sat up.

“I cannot feel Fie. He isn’t responding to me. It’s like he isn’t with me anymore. Can you feel him?”

Jinyoung rubbed his eyes and looked at Jackson.

“What?”

“I said, I cannot speak to my wolf. He isn’t responding to me. Can you feel him, Jinyoung? Please concentrate, I am freaking out!”

Jinyoung sat up straight and nuzzled in Jackson’s neck. There was no scent! He couldn’t smell Jackson’s warm vanilla scent anymore.

“I cannot! I cannot. Fie? Fie?” Jinyoung held him closer and tried to sniff him again but there was no use.

“Prince?”

_“Feray…he’s…oh my god…I cannot tell you, Jinyoung…he will be alright…tell Jackson to calm down. He’s in there. Fie’s in there…he just needs time, okay?”_

“What’s happening?” Jinyoung snapped at his wolf because Jackson had broken a sweat and was crying in panic.

_“I am bound by magic to not reveal whatever is happening to Fie. Give him a few hours, okay? Jackson will know…”_

“Know what?”

_“He just will. Ask him to lie down and clear his head of any thoughts. He will be alright. There’s nothing to worry about, okay?”_

“Prince says to calm down. Fie is alright. Your link will resume in a few hours. Just lie down, okay?” Jinyoung pushed the boy down and covered him with a blanket.

“But Jinyoung-ah, I-”

“It will be alright, just sleep.”

Jackson’s body went numb. It felt like he was being taken apart and put together slowly. His energy drained fast and he lulled into a dark sleep, losing consciousness after a quick skipping of his heartbeat.

**

Primes were vessels just like other wolves. However, they could see and understand things that other wolves couldn’t. It actually had something to do with how and why they came to be.

The pure human quality to protect, shield and nurture life had made Primes. As the magic was evolving, the humans with a strong will to protect their loved ones under all circumstances were favoured by the magic. It enabled them in ways nobody understood. It was what the world needed. If there were people running to ruin the world then were Primes, strong enough to shield it from any harm. It was the magic’s way of balancing things out.

Damarchus’s wolf magic had affected humans around him in a way too complex to understand. He couldn’t contain the magic he held so it had dispersed in more ways than one. Primes around him had turned into wolves and had become ten times stronger. But their transition from human to wolf was going to take a long while. Damarchus’s wolf had told him that they would have to wait until their wolves revealed themselves wilfully to them. Even if it was Damarchus’s magic, he didn’t have any control over these people because their wolves hadn’t revealed themselves. However, their innate need and will to protect the ones they loved had synced with their wolves and carried it to the next generation without any issues.

The reason why many Primes weren’t documented was that they were able to serve their purpose without their wolves awakening. The wolf magic was still new but the old world magic was still testing them.

Lady Scythia had turned into a Prime after she had met Damarchus. Not only was she a strong and independent woman but also someone who loved with all her heart. She had protected her village singlehandedly when things had gotten rough. Her healing powers had come in handy as the war had slowly started to affect smaller villages too. She had selflessly offered herself to the wellbeing of the people she knew and it was enough for the old magic to turn her into a Prime.

When she had met Damarchus and fallen in love with him, gotten exposed to his magic and mated with him, she had turned into a wolf. But her wolf hadn’t awakened yet because her human nature of being insecure and jealous had stopped it from happening. She had started to spend her magic recklessly, causing the wolf spirit in her to not awaken. However, she loved Damarchus with a true heart, wanting nothing but his happiness and wellbeing, even after knowing that his shifter magic was not just magic anymore but his very existence.

With her ferocious and consuming love for Damarchus and his very existence, she had proved to the spirit in her that she would endure anything and everything for him. She would love him forever, cherish him and take care of him in spite of who he was. The magic had rewarded her with the ability to ward off every evil that threatened her family and her pack, anything and anyone she loved. May be that is why she had lost all her anger when they had set foot in the Bay with her two sons, looked at what a wonderful world her mate had created. She had unknowingly lifted the magic imposed on her sons and freed them of her will to kill Damarchus. She no longer hated his guts. That’s when everything had gone wrong.

Fraulan had seen his chance, turned some wolves on his side and waited for the right time to attack the Bay, his brother and his so-called father. He had failed but not without a strong fight. The Bay had suffered considerable damage and had become weak. Fraulan had lost so much of his power while fighting his father and his brother that he had to escape to recuperate. That’s how he had created Alora, with the few that chose to follow him. Damarchus couldn’t ever stop loving Fraulan nor did Lykiaos so they had secretly put their own magic into Alora so that he and his new pack remained safe. That’s how linked the two places were. But Alora and Howlers Bay were principally different. If Alora used the powerful magic it possessed to try and conquer the world, Howlers Bay used it to retain itself as it was, shunning itself from the world, wanting nothing to do with the pleasures that the conquers promised.

Humans couldn’t get past the shield that both Alora and Howlers Bay possessed so if a wolf from either of these places ventured into human territory, the humans would have no idea who they were dealing with. Aloran wolves had been notorious in that aspect, many making their way to the human world to enjoy, terrorize and dominate poor, unknowing humans, using their power for all the wrong reasons. Many had fathered human children who were now unnaturally violent because they had no wolf spirit to bond with. It was torture of the worst kind. These children were treated with medicines, put into mental institutions and constantly under surveillance.

Alorans didn’t care one bit of the consequences of their actions. After these incidents started increasing, wolves from the Bay decided to intervene and that was how they had started to have missions in human territories. Over a century, they had become acclimatized to human technology and successfully integrated it into their lives at Howlers Bay. However, they always made sure they maintained safe distance from the humans and not take advantage of their naivety like the Alorans had. This had only increased the conflict between Alora and the Bay and constant clash between their packs had become a common thing.

Howlers Bay flourished over the years that the Alorans were out experimenting, trying to find ways to make quick progress, while neglecting the laws of their land, misusing their magic and powers to assert a sort of twisted dominance. It had reached a peak when they started dealing with creatures of dark magic to get more powerful and take over Howlers Bay. The animosity between the two only seemed to increase. It had culminated into the Great War, nearly destroying both the Bay and Alora. The magic had intervened and both lands sealed off from each other for over ten years. The ceasefire had helped both the sides calm down, recuperate and regroup. They had learned that they couldn’t go on fighting the way they had. They had messed up the alpha-omega balance and were paying dearly for it.

While Howlers had lost most of their omegas in the fight, Alorans had succeeded in hiding theirs in the human world. However, they had lost many alphas so their packs were not as strong, their omegas felt threatened all the time and the whole system had become a mess. That’s when their magic had evolved and even male pups started presenting as omegas. It made matters easier for the Bay but not so much for the Alorans. They had started making bigger packs, one Alpha had more than one omega to knot with.  

Over the decade, both sides had solved their issues in different ways and tried hard to maintain a civil relationship. But behind this façade, they both knew they could be deceived by the other any moment.

Alorans had been cunning since the beginning and they were not going to relent anytime soon on seeking revenge. Twelve years after the clash, the Intelligence unit of Howlers Bay had found out that the Alorans were again dealing with vampires, hellhounds, minotaurs and many other unspeakable creatures. This news had shook their world. Unsure of how these associations would be used by the Alorans, the Bay wolves had formed stronger packs beyond family, including more and more wolves into their packs, training together and trying to find the best ways of defence against a looming threat. The shield wouldn’t let such creatures enter their land but they had already started preparing for the worst. Alorans had openly showed their distaste for the way Howlers Bay wolves led their lives, how they didn’t have any ‘guts’ to break the rules around the magic that they were gifted with, how they didn’t even try to _help_ when Alorans were out there trying to make the human race _bow_.

It took a turn for the worst when the Alorans, with the help of their magic found out that the very core of Howlers Bay needed to be poisoned for their shield to fall apart. They were hungry for revenge for all their plans that the Bay wolves had foiled. They wanted to show them who were the more superior wolves and who better to instigate this other than the three most powerful and cunning packs of Alora- The Silver Moon, Crystal Blood and the Wild Claw Keepers. They were known to propagate hatred against Bay wolves and the Bay itself. Many innocent Alorans had fallen prey to their brainwashing techniques and were dispatched to the Bay to carry out devastating missions. They would infiltrate the Bay to gather information. Bay allowed them to enter their land because without that, they couldn’t know their intentions. Many Bay wolves would also cross to Alora and they both maintained a social image of being friendly in order to not raise a panic. These happenings were only privy to the true Alphas and to an extent, the Intelligence unit.

Jackson’s father had seen the things that the TriBane, as he liked calling the three vicious packs, had done. They were poisonous to the very core. They were walking on the road paved by their ancestors who had massacred thousands of Bay wolves, poisoned omegas with dark magic, killed young pups with bare claws during the war. It had been a history that nobody wanted to forget and the new Alorans were trying to do something even more dangerous.

Vampires were put to the duty of poisoning the core of the Bay with the strongest wolfsbane on earth. Unable to touch or grow the bane themselves, they let vampires drink their blood, hellhounds eat the flesh of their new-borns as sacrifice so they could get the bane grown in return. The vampires had planted it with much difficulty as the Bay had targeted them relentlessly. However, the Bay had attracted the foreign substance to its core by itself, in order to destroy it and that’s how it had started to grow there. The Bay couldn’t destroy it because the bane was lined with wolf blood, blood from the Bay wolves that the Alorans had managed to slay. Bay’s magic was ineffective against its own blood so the bane had taken root in the Bay’s core. It had stayed dormant for hundred years but then had started to grow. The Bay was getting poisoned and there was nothing that it could do about it.

May be Damarchus had seen this all coming, if not exactly but partly because somehow he had connected the shields of both Alora and Howlers Bay. If the shield of Howlers Bay was weakening, then so was Alora’s and the Alorans didn’t even know it because they misused their powers to an extent of damaging their magical receptors. It was the only advantage the Bay had over them. The spell was executed so that the Bay would have enough time to revive itself before a dark attack took place. The moment the bane would be taken out of the Bay, the shielding spells would go up full force and wouldn’t be penetrable by anyone except the Bay wolves. However, they didn’t know how to deal with the bane and that’s where Feray came in.

Damarchus had made arrangements so a pure wolf with the sole intention of saving the Bay would be able to go to the depths of the Bay without dying. This wolf would become the temporary vessel for the Bay’s power in case its core was too corrupted, the shields got damaged or if a water element Alpha failed to birth pups. The wolf would evolve in order to hold the Bay’s magic until a solution was discovered.

Scythia had done just that when Fraulan had attacked the Bay with the help of his dark magic. Her wolf had finally awakened in the hour of need and rewarded her with power to protect everyone she loved. Once Damarchus and Lykiaos had managed to defeat Fraulan, she had finally returned the powers of the Bay. A part of her had remained inside the Bay in form of her magic and this magic would help the next wolf to do his job, lead his magic in a way best suited for the Bay. In a way, the Bay’s magic had to seek a wolf who was courageous and strong enough in the time of danger. This was a Prime wolf, selfless and pure, righteous and devoted to the good of the world. Not many Primes had been discovered till date because the situation had never reached a point this worse.

Another way to revive the Bay’s powers and shields was to have three generations of water element Alphas to perform systematic spells, revive their magical core and share it with the Bay until it was out of imminent danger. It was possible that these wolves would lose their lives or powers completely but they wouldn’t care what it would lead to because their wolves would give all it took to save the Bay. That is why Mark had wanted pups so he could initiate the process of saving the Bay and hoped that Joey and Jaebeom’s pups along with the remaining true alpha families would also do the same and they could somehow save the Bay from running out of its magic. But Jackson being a man had totally ruined these chances. Also, the Bay had started to lose its powers faster than anybody had anticipated.

Nobody had been surprised by the turn of events as much as Mark. It had made him so mad to think that nobody was freaking out because the bowl had matched him with a man instead of a woman and that they were running out of options. It had become more about the Bay than his mate and his life after some point and he just couldn’t bring himself to separate that. His distaste for being matched with a man was so strong because he was helpless. He was sure of never falling in love with Jackson even if it hadn’t been his fault.

Mark didn’t know what he was marrying into. Feray’s evolution meant revealing to Jackson his true nature. A Prime’s characteristics were telling to those people who knew one. Jackson’s family had realized Feray’s nature a long time ago but were bound by old pack bonds to remain quiet until the wolf revealed himself. It was bound to happen before Jackson got the mate bite because it would turn him into someone more powerful and impossibly courageous. He would have to be prepared for that power mentally and physically so it was essential that Feray reveal himself to Jackson. It was just a mad happenstance that his reveal had coincided with the Bay losing most of its power because of how far the bane had spread. Mark and all the other water element Alphas were in pain because the Bay was in pain. They didn’t know any of this but Jackson would know this once he got up, once he became a true Prime in his human and wolf form.

* * *

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jackson gets to know so many things but there's so much more to know. He will do what it takes. He will love Mark no matter how hard it will get.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sleep deprived and tired...i had written a big ass chapter but then decided to divide it into 2 chapters so you guys would be more comfortable understanding everything. This chapter is just the beginning of Jackson's journey. There's a long, tough road ahead of him. I hope i do justice to this story. In my mind, it's too long. I hope you guys will still want to read it. Thank you for being with me so far.
> 
> xoxo

Jackson was near the same stream of water that he had seen in his dreams before. But this time, the water was hardly there. There was a mix of red in it. Jackson stared at it and breathed out a sigh.

“Why am I here again? My mate already found me. Why-”

Suddenly, Jackson saw visions of his wolf running towards him in an insane speed. But what knocked the breath out of his chest was how his size increased the closer he got. His aura was unmistakably different. It wasn’t soft or loving but fierce and determined. When he saw Feray emanating weird green fumes from his body and his eyes a deeper yellow than what he remembered, he gasped. Was this really a vision? What was happening? Before he could figure it out, the wolf was standing across from him, on the other side of the stream, tall and ferocious.

Jackson felt his heart beat loudly in his chest due to a foreign feeling. There was a difference between how he felt in the company of his wolf. Their link and their bond seemed to have changed. Jackson could see what Feray was thinking, not just sense but actually see it as if it was his own head. The barrier which separated his human half and wolf half had certainly vanished because of how the link was currently functioning.

“This is my conscious, Ga.” The wolf’s voice had also changed. It was like meeting someone new but familiar at the same time. It felt weird and scary.

“What happened to you, Fie? Are you alright?” he moved closer to the wolf but the beast flinched.

Jackson bit his lip because he felt weird. Where was his Fie, his best friend and partner? Why was he feeling the way he was? What was this sudden restlessness?

“Are you leaving me? Am I going to die?” Jackson croaked because sometimes wolves gave their human halves access to their conscious when they were really close to death. They would part with each other and hope to meet again someday. Was this goodbye?

To his surprise, the wolf giggled.

“Fieeeee!” The whine made the wolf laugh outright.

“Ga, you are so gullible. You always assume the worst.”

They fell silent for a moment as the memories of Jackson always assuming the worst possible things crossed their minds in excruciating detail. Jackson felt even more restless. His body was itching to rush somewhere, where he didn’t know.

“I want to let you know something, Jackson.”  The seriousness in the beast’s voice made Jackson bunch his fists. What was happening and why was his wolf being like this?

“What is it? I feel restless. Please don’t waste any time. I need to-”

“I am a Prime.”

Jackson stilled. It took a moment for it to sink in but when it did, everything started making sense. The wolf started showing him memories of how his power would always make Jackson surpass every physical challenge, how pain rarely bothered him, how his heats would cripple him but the moment he decided to not let them bother him, his body would go on auto pilot and he would take full control of the situation.

Then he saw images of Mark, the cold treatment that was meted to him, the hurt that he felt when he thought Mark had cheated on him. It felt real, as if he was experiencing the pain all over again. His lips quivered in pain but then the green flames enveloped him. Even if his heart hurt, his body didn’t react to the emotions that he was feeling. He felt like tears would drop from his eyes, but they didn’t.

“You are a Prime, Jackson. You are destined to be in pain for a long time. I will shield you as much as I can from the physical pain but the emotional pain is all yours to combat. Since you love so deeply, your heart will hurt just as deeply. You will want to stop any and every bad thing from happening to your loved ones. It will hurt, but hold on, trust me, trust your feelings. They will guide you. They will help you brave through the harshest of situations that you will have to go through.”

Jackson gulped.

“Right now, our Alpha is unconscious because the Bay has almost lost all of its defensive magic. It is alerting the water element Alphas that they need to act fast to avoid danger. We have to get to him and help him. You will keep learning about me on your own. Nothing much has changed. We are just more powerful and we will have to do a lot for this world, for our Alpha and the pack. Will you be willing to bear this burden? Will you bear the pain that lies ahead of us? Will you endure, no matter what it is?”

Jackson felt a shiver run down his spine. This was a lot to take in but Mark being unconscious meant that his body was expecting him to rush to his aid. He was already feeling a bit low as it is until the green flames encompassing him became brighter and he felt energy surge through his system.

“I will.”

The wolf stared at Jackson and closed his eyes. Jackson had taken the news really well. He didn’t know if it was a good sign or bad. Jackson was innocent and warm. He didn’t know the kind of pain he was going to be put through, how painful the process of reviving his magical core was going to be, how painful it was going to be to host the power of the Bay for an extended period of time, how he was going to be ignored, mistreated and left alone after marriage. Mark was not really interested in marrying him. The wolf felt his heart get heavy until he realized that their bond was now stronger than ever. Jackson had seen everything he had thought about. He snapped his eyes open and saw the boy’s eyes full of tears. The green light around him seemed to dissipate because the wolf was sad too.

The boy broke down and crashed on his knees, clutching them for his dear life. The wedding was going to happen in two days and this was what Mark was feeling? Reluctance? Helplessness? Disinterest? The Bay was in danger and in turn all the wolves too? He had to revive his magical core? This was too much to take in too little time. Mark was unconscious right now and he needed to rush to him. His heart beat quickened. It was true that Mark was going to ignore him, but it was also true that he loved him. He loved him too much to care about anything else. He wanted to do as much as he could for his Alpha and his pack. He wanted to make sure that he used the power of his wolf for all the right reasons and the first thing he had to do was to revive Mark.

“Is the whole pack suffering because Mark’s unconscious?”

“All the pack Alphas are in pain because he is unconscious. We have to revive him, give him some power to function. I can sense the Bay fighting the bane’s dark magic with all its might. That’s what has caused this huge fluctuation in its power. However, I don’t think it will last for long. My best guess is that it will lose all its powers in another few months. You will have to host its powers if the wolves don’t find a solution to weed out the bane…”

“But, I can just do it by swimming to the core of the Bay, can I not?”

Okay, Jackson was catching up fast and it was not a surprise. The wolf prided in his vessel for a moment before answering.

“Yes, you can. But you can’t do two things at once. The bane is too vile and will attack you. We are not powerful enough to fight it alone yet, not without figuring out the consequences. The Bay is too weak to help us as of now. We have to think it all through. There’s so much we will have to consider. But right now-”

“Mark’s our priority. I will do all it takes to save everyone. Don’t worry, Fie. You know me.” Jackson wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand and stood up. “Let’s get started. I feel so powerful right now. Thank you, Fie. You look so beautiful like this. Mark’s blue and you are green…pretty pretty,” he rushed to the wolf and nuzzled in his fur, hugging him close and feeling their energies mix and bond into one. “Feray, you make me proud. I will try to return the favour. It’s a promise of a lifetime, my wolf, my soul mate.” Their foreheads touched and he felt his vision cloud with fluorescent green light.

**

When Jackson got up with a flash, Jinyoung was right by his side. He felt the shift in his power and Prince’s response to his newness wasn’t what he expected.

“Jackson, you okay? You look pale,” the boy’s sleepy voice only made Jackson feel worse about waking him up.

“I need you to call Hyun Sik hyung immediately. I need him to drive me to Mark’s. I would have gone alone but…I shouldn’t. Can you please call him?”

“He must be around here since I am sleeping here. The pack is on patrol duty anyway.” The boy sat up to find his phone.

“Wait, what? You are going to Mark’s? Why?” Jinyoung seemed more alert now that he was sitting up.

“I have no to time to explain, Jinyoung-ah. I will tell you everything when I get back. Now please, it’s urgent.”

 

**

The betas had managed to pile all the pack Alphas in a room. Luckily the branch family Alphas were not affected to the extent of being helplessly in pain. They were suffering from only mild headaches and restlessness so Youngjae had asked their omegas to help them in any way they could. He had brought Mark, Mr Tuan, Joey and Jaebeom to their den. He didn’t know what to do. Being the eldest of the betas, he felt the pressure of coming up with a solution.

“Jae, just calm down. I am sure Mark will be alright,” Mrs Tuan was sitting by her husband’s side but knew what Youngjae most desperately wanted to hear. Mr Tuan groaned in pain and Youngjae flinched. 

He looked at Mark and felt his heart hurt even more. BamBam and Yugyeom were close enough and he could sense their restlessness clearly.

“The wedding is in two days, mother…” he whispered and Mrs Tuan sighed.

“I know. I trust in the power of the Bay. He will be alright. This is a distress call. The Bay will revive him and-”

They immediately fell silent as they smelled Jackson’s strong scent.

“MARK!” Jackson yelled as he rushed towards the Alpha. He took his hand without thinking much and kissed it. The pin drop silence that followed made him look around. He quickly got to his feet and bowed at Mark’s mother and the betas. Jaebeom and Mr Tuan nodded slightly. They were hardly even conscious. Joey was snoozing beside Mark. Jackson felt his heart constrict looking at them all.

“I am sorry, mother. I was just-”

Mrs Tuan nodded in understanding. She didn’t care about courtesy as much as she cared about her son and the pack.

“Umm…” Jackson looked at Youngjae, who looked baffled, and gestured him to come out for a second. When the boy followed him out, he breathed a sigh of relief.

“I need a favour, Beta. I…I have to be with Mark, alone. You will know why later. Right now, I just want to help. Do you understand me? Please. I want to help…”

Youngjae stared at Jackson suspiciously but in the next moment he nodded fast. Jackson relaxed even more.

“How about we just leave the room? I can’t move my Alpha again. He’s heavy. Oh God, your scent is stronger than ever…” Youngjae swiftly moved forward and pinned him to the wall. Jackson yipped at the impact but bared his neck quickly.

“I am sorry, I just can’t hold it back right now…you smell like Alpha,”

The beta’s restlessness was palpable from his scent so Jackson didn’t mind helping him calm down. The other betas had followed and waited their turn to sniff him. He wondered how they hadn’t sensed the change in his wolf but he was sure Fie had a good reason for that.

Youngjae then escorted Mrs Tuan and the others under the pretext of having a meal. Jackson was left alone with his unconscious Alpha.

_“Put your hand on his chest and concentrate. You will be able to nudge his wolf up with your power. Try to visualize the new green power within you through me…and push it into his chest. But before that…you will have to take his pain away.”_

“Take his pain away?”

_“Yes.”_

“You are saying I can take his pain away?”

_“Yes. Only his pain. If he heals, the rest of the pack will heal on their own because they will sense his wolf’s revived power. It will help with the healing.”_

“How am I going to take his pain?”

_“Hug him and genuinely feel the urge to take his pain away.”_

Jackson breathed heavily at that. He would take all of Mark’s pain away without a second thought.

_“Connect your foreheads and concentrate on his wolf. Once you sense him, just find out the pain that’s gathered around their aura. It’s superficial. It’s just the Bay’s way of alerting them so it will be a small black round around the wolf’s spirit. The moment you see it, I will absorb it. Just make sure you keep the connection stable even if it hurts you.”_

Jackson nodded. He hauled Mark up easily, which surprised him for a second. Mark was sitting against the pillows, his head lolling around until Jackson steadied it. He grabbed the Alpha’s nape and pulled him closer. Their foreheads touched and he closed his eyes. He couldn’t concentrate because Mark was hot, hotter than a normal wolf. Jackson flinched a bit but Fie asked him to concentrate.

“Alpha,” he whispered and tried to feel the wolf’s spirit inside Mark. Minutes passed but nothing happened.

“My Alpha, it’s me…I am here…” he called out desperately. He felt his fingertips tingle with energy just then. He could see flashes of beautiful landscapes and a stream. He knew he was getting closer…just a little more…

After several minutes of trying to hold onto the little link that Jackson had formed with Mark’s consciousness, he was able to spot a speck of black around the wolf’s heart. It looked dark and solid, as the wolf laid on his side, powerless and helpless.

The moment Jackson saw it, he winced. His chest hurt badly, constricting and squeezing his heart. He bit his lip to endure the pain but it steadily increased. Tears started flowing down his eyes and it was getting hard for him to breathe.

“Fie,” he cried as he tried hard to keep holding Mark close.

Just then a ray of green light struck the black ball and it slowly started diminishing. Another wave of searing pain shot through Jackson’s body just then.

_“Hold on.”_

The wolf howled loudly in his head and charged towards Mark’s, who was lying unconscious and helpless. He licked at the wolf’s ear and face, growling and whining while transferring power through his green fumes. The wolf stirred after Fie had completely enveloped him with his fumes and howled loudly with all his might, straining himself to the extremes, whining as the fumes started to dissipate, his hind legs giving away as his power almost declined.

Mark’s wolf shined bright blue as he stood up and looked at the tiny wolf at his feet. His eyes twinkled in recognition and he quickly howled back, louder and stronger, almost making Jackson break the bond they had created between the three of them.

_“Mate.”_

_“Mate.”_

“Alpha.”

Jackson cried hard then, his chest heaving with intense pain and pleasure at what he was experiencing. He looked at the wolves rubbing their foreheads against each other and whining in happiness. He saw a flash of intense blue light before he crashed on the floor and almost fell unconscious but his wolf kicked back his power full force with what little was left in him.

Mark had woken up with a start and was heaving loudly.

He looked around, confused and unsure about how he had gotten there. His eyes then landed on Jackson who had managed to crash on his knees at the foot of the bed.

Mark sniffed the air and grunted. He sprang up from the bed and stood tall in front of Jackson.

Jackson looked up at him and relaxed. He had finally brought back Mark to consciousness. Mark’s topless body was heaving heavily and very much okay. Jackson could hear his heart thudding loudly and lively like a strong Alpha’s. His scent was thick in the air. Everything was going to be okay.

“Jackson…” Mark’s tone was soft, unlike the one he usually used with him when they were alone. It was unsettling and sent a cold shiver down Jackson’s spine.

“Your wolf spirit is green? I thought it was…wait…why did I see it? What did you do to me? Why are you…” the elder gripped his shoulders and got him to his feet before staring into his eyes, bewildered and amazed.

“Why does my heart hurt? Why do I feel like I will never be…happy?”

Jackson bit his lip, his eyes full of tears at the questions being asked. But they never came so he gulped. Probably, his wolf was still hell bent on keeping him strong.

“Are you okay?” he had ignored the questions in the hope of distracting Mark but the man had only clicked his tongue.

“You did something to me…I can feel it…this…” he moved turned his palm up and down and frowned. “This doesn’t feel like my power…it’s warmer…purer…it’s yours…”

“You were unconscious…I had to help you. Everyone’s in pain because you were unconscious. I came to help,” Jackson muttered.

Mark pulled him closer by the hips and nuzzled in his neck. He growled lowly and started fervently licking his neck.

“MARK, what-”

“Mate,” Mark muttered as he ran his tongue over the juncture of Jackson’s shoulder and neck.

“Wait, you-”

A loud kiss had been planted on his cheek just then and Mark tightened his arms around him.

“Hey…” Jackson croaked because he wasn’t expecting it.

“The Bay needs you to get yourself together, Alpha,” Jackson pushed at his shoulders to free himself.

“I know.”

Jackson winced as pain radiated through his body. His wolf told him that it would take a few more minutes for him to get used to it.

“Please do your best, Alpha. Everyone is counting on you. I hope the pack alphas feel better soon, now that you are alright.”

“Yes, they will.”

Mark let go of him but didn’t walk away. He stared at the boy in front of him intently, his wolf making his whole body shiver with an urge to touch Jackson. He moved forward swiftly, picking the younger up in his arms easily.

Jackson yipped at being hauled up by Mark like that. He instinctively wound his arms around the Alpha’s neck in order to not fall. Was this how a bride felt when her groom picked her up? A rosy blush decorated his face. He couldn’t even look up at Mark.

“Where are we going?” he asked softly, still unable to look at the man.

“My room.”

Jackson’s stomach flipped at that. This was the first time he was seeing the pack’s den and Mark was already taking him to his room while they were alone? Before marriage?

He moved in Mark’s arms so that the man would let him go but instead he held him tighter and grunted.

“Let me go,” he punched at the man’s shoulder and kicked his feet around but Mark ignored him as he climbed the stairs.

“What are you doing? Your relatives are here, elders too. What is this? We can’t-”

Mark looked at him in the eyes, making him shut up instantly.

Mark kicked the door open to a room so spacious and open to the woods outside that Jackson felt like he was on display. He squirmed in the man’s arms again but in the next moment, he was thrown on a soft bed. His body bounced a bit at impact before he pulled himself up and sat with his legs pulled closer.

“Did you drink last night? I smell alcohol, and oh…so many omegas...”

Jackson snapped his head up and grunted.

“What about it? Do you like their scents?”

Mark climbed the bed and he pulled himself even closer, as if shielding himself. Mark pushed him down, making him lie on his back, forcibly freeing his legs from his arms and lying on top of him.

Jackson made a noise that was between a groan and a cry.

“No. I only like yours. I am tired. I need you to sleep with me. I need your scent. It’s so good.”

“Sss…leeep with you?” he croaked. He pushed at the man’s shoulders but he was too heavy. “What are you saying…get up, lemme go,” he cried as Mark’s weight shifted over him.

“I only want you, only you. I want to sniff you, hug you, feel your skin against mine, smell your hair, share your warmth, kiss every pa-”

“MARK!” Jackson put his palm over the elder’s lips to silence him. “What are you saying?”

Mark moved his hand away gently and breathed out a heavy sigh.

“I need it. My wolf says he will riot if you do not comply. You know I cannot…ugh…control him in this state…”

“But the betas will be here any-”

Mark pulled himself up on his palms and stared at the boy below him. His wolf was showing him visuals of Jackson naked and pliant under him, asking to be touched and knotted, whimpering at his every touch, telling him how wet he was for him. Mark’s lips quivered slightly. He had almost no energy left to control his wolf and the beast was taking full advantage of the situation.

He slowly blinked his eyes with exhaustion and sighed. Jackson looked up at him, his face instantly softening at the Alpha’s condition.

_“Hold him. It will help us too. His wolf is starting to heal but he wants me close so he’s acting like that. My scent will speed up the healing and his scent will speed up mine…so…”_

“Istg, if the elders see us like this…there’s so many relatives here too. Fie…this isn’t right…”

_“You are so selfish, I used all my power to save him and you can’t even do this much for your wo-”_

“LALALALLAA! Fine. Someone’s just so eager…I saw how you were jumping with the Alpha…so shameless…”

_“Shut up! It was the first time I was so close to him…you are so mean. Lemme be close to him, Ga. We need each other, just like how you and Mark need each other…”_

Mark whimpered, sweat trickling down his brow and dropping directly on Jackson’s eye.

“Mark,” he muttered and pulled the man close, cradling his head against the crook of his neck. Mark was heavy and he had wrapped him arms around Jackson tightly. Jackson felt like he couldn’t breathe for a bit until he adjusted himself.

“Smell nice,” Mark muttered before humming in relief and rubbing his nose against the boy’s bare skin.

“Can I kiss you here?” Mark asked in a tiny voice, seeming nothing like his own and Jackson mentally berated his wolf for tempting the Alpha like that.

“And here too?” his lips were already roaming on his neck, planting small kisses as they went. Jackson shivered at the contact, his body literally shaking at the touch. Mark’s palm had sneaked inside his shirt and gripped his sides with intent.

“Oh, you are soft and warm. Can I touch you th-”

“Go to sleep, Mark,” Jackson spoke softly as he threaded his fingers through his locks, trying hard not to show how his body was reacting to the man’s touch or his words. The whine that left the man’s lips made him extremely shy.

“We are getting married soon…you can do this after that…” he added softly as Mark nuzzled into his shoulder, whining petulantly.

“All day, all night?” the man asked innocently and Jackson blushed immediately. He was speechless for a moment. Mark yawned loudly in the silence of the room.

“Yes or no?” he asked again as he rubbed his nose against the younger’s shoulder.

Jackson had barely spoken before Mark started to snore softly against his shoulder.

“Yes.”

**

It was around 4 in the morning when the betas returned. Jackson hadn’t slept a wink because Mark was lying on top of him like that. However, his proximity had helped his wolf to get back to his full power.

“Alpha?” Jackson heard Youngjae call out Mark and panicked. It wasn’t a good thing for couples to be physically intimate to this extent before marriage. It was definitely not good manners to be lying in a bed with an Alpha before being bonded.

His heart thudded loudly as he heard footsteps climb up the stairs.

“Ohhhh! Noooo!” BamBam screeched as he saw his Alpha and Jackson sprawled on the bed like that. “He didn’t even lock the door…if mother finds out that he has-”

“NOTHING HAPPENED, HE’S JUST ASLEEP ON TOP OF ME,” Jackson screamed, making Mark whine in his sleep. Jackson held him closer again and combed his fingers through his hair without thinking much.

The three of them stilled, observing the boy’s action.

“What are you looking at? Help me!” Jackson whisper yelled and the betas snickered.

“And why would we do that? Looks like you are doing well down there,” Yugyeom laughed.

“Because! I have to go home. The wedding is tomorrow. I can’t be here! I cannot be lying in bed with him like this, what if your relatives see me like this? I will be punished…” Jackson muttered, making every effort to not wake Mark up.

Youngjae snorted.

“We don’t punish our omegas unless it is something serious…in fact we have stopped that since a long time. No omega in this pack in the last six generations has been punished…” he spoke as the three of them slowly separated Mark from him.

“Vanilla,” Mark mumbled as he tried to stick to Jackson again but they kept him at bay.

“Oh dear, he has scented you again, it’s too much…” BamBam rubbed at his nose while the others grimaced.

“Eww…I smell his-”

“AAAAAA don’t say it, don’t say it,” Jackson closed his ears and rushed downstairs.

The betas followed him hurriedly and stopped him from leaving.

“Did he kiss you?” Yugyeom asked.

“Where did he touch you?” Youngjae followed.

“What did he do to you for him to smell like _that_?” and BamBam ended.

“NOTHING. He just sniffed me and I held him because my wolf told me to. His wolf wanted me to be with him in the bed or he was going to throw a fit and Mark had no energy to control him so…”

“So you two slept in his bed for two hours?”

“Technically, I didn’t sleep a wink. Your Alpha is so heavy!”

“You did not just call my Alpha heavy!”

“Oh come on, he’s heavyyyyy, okay?” Jackson pouted and the three of them cooed.

“Do you know how good you smell right now? I want to cuddle with you and smell you innnn, sweetttttest smell, our omega,” Yugyeom said in a baby voice and Jackson couldn’t help but smile shyly.

“After the marriage, you can all sniff me to your heart’s content but right now, I have to go. I need a phone. I need to call-”

“I will drop you,” Joey had appeared silently behind the three of them. Jackson straightened immediately.

“Oh, I wouldn’t want to trou-”

“I will drop you, Jackson.” It was a statement and not a question so Jackson didn’t argue, he bowed instead.

The betas rushed to him, planting quick pecks on his temple and whining.

“Miss you, miss you,” Youngjae groaned but Jackson just giggled.

“I am gonna be here soon, so wait for me,” he beamed as he touched his forehead with each of them for a brief moment.

“We will. Get home safely and get some sleep. You look like you got mauled,” BamBam muttered. The concern touched Jackson and he smiled warmly. There were going to be people who cared for him and he had to hold onto them instead of focusing on Mark’s lack of interest.

“I can’t wait to get some rest. Umm…and please…ummm,” he hesitated, his face gaining colour instantly.

“We will take care of him. Don’t worry.” Joey assured and they all nodded. “Now, let’s go. Your parents must be waiting for you.”

Jackson nodded.

“Can’t wait for this den to smell like you, Jackson. Can’t wait to wake up to your scent,” Youngjae yelled before he left.

“Can’t wait to be Mark’s omega,” Jackson yelled without looking back, his heart skipping several beats at the realization that he, in fact, had so much more to give to Mark and this pack. This was his destiny and now he was going to embrace it tightly and fearlessly with his wolf by his side.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave me comments. I know i didnt do much with this chapter and the markson was bare minimum but know that Mark's wolf wants Jackson so the tussle between the two is going to be there. Mark, as a human, is very dominating and he can usually silence his wolf into submission but this time he is too weak to do it. Also, since he has Jackson's power, a little of his emotions are in it too. As the time passes, Jackson would no longer need time to recover. He will become more powerful once he gets bonded. I hope you are excited for the wedding. Sorry, but you guessed it right. It's gonna be a long ass chapter again, unless I plan on making it shorter and crispier, unlike all my other chapters XD  
> love you guys  
> xoxo


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's happening!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonds are precious, one and all. Jackson knows which one's the most precious one.  
> Mark is going to go through this life changing event.

Mark opened his eyes and moaned in contention. Early morning sun caressed his skin softly, birds chirping created a familiar symphony and the smell of the woods rejuvenated him. Their den had been built open, with big windows and doors, passageways surrounding the top floor. He loved spending the nights there and hearing the betas chattering around in the morning, whining about one thing or another. Jaebeom would always stay the night when Mark wanted him to while Joey spent his nights resting in the woods. They preferred being close to the den as much as they could.

It was an oddly quiet morning. May be the betas were off on a run? Where was everyone? He got up and stretched, groaning in relief. He looked out the big window and breathed in the fresh air. Everything was just the way he always remembered it to be. He didn’t want anything to change.

His father had once told them that the den was built where it was because many true Alphas from their family had bonded with their packs here. _It has a special energy_ , Mark thought. It was always so peaceful and enriching. It was bountiful and green and overlooked the Bay in the north. The splashing of its water was like a lullaby to him and that was why he had built his and Jackson’s house just half a mile away.

He hummed pleasantly at the thoughts he was having. He felt really happy and energetic for some reason but he had no recollection of the past night. Hadn’t he gone for a run? What had gone wrong? How had he suddenly landed in his bed? His head hurt a bit due to confusion until his wolf grunted.

 _“You don’t remember anything?”_ he asked and Mark frowned. Why did he feel like he was missing a very important piece of information?

Jackson’s scent hit him square in the senses then, making his chest hurt with a yearning so strong that he whimpered. He clutched it in shock and confusion until the happenings of the past night came rushing back to him.

“How did he…he can do that? Even without a bond? How powerful is he?” he asked his wolf, unable to hide the surging pride and curiosity about his mate.

His wolf snorted but remained silent because he was bound by magic. It was imperative that Jackson reveal his Prime nature to Mark. It was how the magic worked.

Omegas were normally able to revive their Alphas with touch and scent so Mark was assuming that Jackson had done that for him. It was like Jackson’s wolf had somehow managed to make Mark forget their interaction altogether. There was no way of knowing what a Prime could do. The beast was deeply amazed by Jackson and his wolf and his love for the two only seemed to multiply with every passing day. Only if Mark knew how it felt to love and to be loved in return…

Esmeray was an old soul, a fragment of magic that was governed by many rules. But the only thing that had never changed through all this time, through all the hosts that he had been linked to, was how he felt for his mate. He relived the moment he had seen Feray up close for the first time. He had felt weak in a place in his core that he didn’t know existed. _My mate,_ he thought and felt his senses heighten. Jackson’s scent hung strong in the air like a charm, and it only made him miss him more. Mark fidgeted in his spot, his mouth going dry due to his wolf’s feelings.

_“The wedding is tomorrow night, Yi En. Are you sure you can do this?”_

Mark gulped. The following night was going to change his entire life.

“I don’t have a choice, do I?”

The wolf fell silent. It was something he did not want to discuss because Mark’s disinterest in Jackson hurt him a lot. It made him feel disconnected with the man and it was never a good feeling. Their relationship had always been strong and reliable, warm and comfortable. But the moment Jackson had entered their lives, it had gotten strained. This kind of strain could affect his power immediately and it could result in problems like weakened senses, loss of concentration, erratic and angry behaviour, which, overall, was not good for an Alpha. Esmeray pulled himself together, trying really hard to not be bothered by his host’s behaviour.

_“He’s your mate. He came to revive you in the middle of the night. He stayed with you for hours to make you feel better, risked the ire of your family to be with you in a bed so I could get back my power. He loves you, Yi. He loves us.”_

Mark closed his eyes at that.

“I didn’t ask him to fall in love with me. Stop guilt tripping me, Boo.”

Esmeray grunted at that, blocking their link out of spite.

Mark sighed. He could still feel Jackson’s residual power in his body. However, it was quickly being replaced by his own. Jackson’s smiling face popped in front of his eyes and he took in a sharp breath.

“Fuck.”

**

Jinyoung was a total mess. There were so many things left to pack. Jackson’s clothes were everywhere, his essentials, his books, his heat accessories…something told him that Jackson would definitely need them in spite of having a mate. It made him pop a vein. His best friend was going to marry a jerk and there was nothing he could do about it.

Also, Jackson still hadn’t told him what was wrong with his wolf. The change in his power was a bit upsetting, making it harder for Prince to be in harmony with Fie. But Prince had assured him that he would soon be able to understand everything. He was holding on to that assurance but his patience was already running thin.

While Jinyoung internally freaked out about n number of things, Jackson slept like a baby, without a care in the world. He had returned in the wee hours and crashed in the bed beside him, holding onto him like his life depended on it. Jinyoung had felt his weakness immediately. He had held him close to his heart like a child. His protective instincts had doubled just then, as if Jackson needed them more than ever. He hadn’t slept much after that so he felt a bit low on energy.

He couldn’t stop staring at how peaceful Jackson looked while sleeping. He quickly snapped a picture on his phone and willed his tears to not fall.

“Hey, fatass.” He leaped on the sleeping boy. The impact made Jackson yelp but he relaxed almost immediately.

“You are heavyyyyy,” he groaned. Jinyoung just chuckled.

“We gotta pack your shit. Come on, get up now. We don’t have much time.” He shook the boy’s arm until he got up, whining.

Jackson’s face looked tired and his eyes swollen. But there was a weird glow on his face which Jinyoung had never seen before.

“Will he like the vows I wrote? You think it’s too much?” Jackson asked in a small voice, while rubbing his eyes.

Jinyoung huffed. He had no idea what kind of person Mark was. His assumptions based on the interactions he had had with the elder weren’t really positive. He wasn’t sure about how he would respond to Jackson’s emotional vows. He was going to assume the worst because fire element wolves functioned like that. But Jackson’s adorable disposure made him not want to hurt the boy. Jackson really made him soft to the very core. God, how was he going to survive without him?

“He better! If he doesn’t, I am going to beat his ass. Those vows are really sweet, Seunie,” he smiled and ruffled the boy’s hair. Jackson relaxed a bit at that but couldn’t stop his heart from flipping unpleasantly at the sliver of doubt that popped up.

“I just hope he doesn’t…doesn’t dislike me even more after the wedding.”

Jackson bit his lip.

His heart hurt at the possibility. Mark’s hot and cold behaviour had made him doubt everything about the marriage. But there was no way to remain unscathed by it. He was going to step into this bond in spite of the risks, he had to. He had the responsibility of making use of the power he was bestowed upon to save the Bay, to help his pack protect wolves better. He had to think beyond his pain and his love for Mark now. He had to be strong. And, he loved Mark. He loved him so much, even when he hardly knew anything about the elder. His love had become so huge that he no longer could control it.

Jinyoung stared at Jackson’s face. The changing emotions on it made him restless. He moved closer and held his hand gently, then entwined their fingers. He could clearly feel Jackson’s unrest but not his sadness, which was really bothersome.

“I know I have only been rude about your match but let me tell you one thing…don’t stop loving…you are who you are because you love so freely. People who love strongly always end up getting hurt the most. But I will make sure you the happiness you deserve, Seun-ah. I will be with you as long as I can and…just…” his heart was full and a sob bubbled out of his chest, surprising Jackson.

“Jinyoungie…” they both shed some tears in each other’s arms. They separated only when someone strongly knocked on the door.

“You both, I need you to come downstairs. We have so much to do. There’s so many people waiting for you…Jackson…” Jackson’s mother stared at him and bit her lip.

 _“We have to reveal ourselves…”_ Feray said and Jackson straightened. He nodded in understanding.

“Come on, Jinyoung-ah. Let’s go.”

**

Blood bonds were one of the most powerful bonds in the wolf world after the mate bite. A blood bond was usually made by one pack Alpha with another pack Alpha to pledge solidarity and commitment to a cause, relationship or a pack. This meant that those who made it would always keep their promise. If not, their entire pack would suffer the punishment of betrayal. It always resulted in pack unrest, the Alpha losing his mind and eventually the end of the pack. These bonds were hard to break but under extenuating circumstances, could be dissolved in the presence of all parties involved. If the maker or the receiver of the bond died, the next Alpha of the pack would have to keep this bond alive. The bond remained undisturbed for years, once made. It turned stronger as the years passed.

Jackson’s family would swear solidarity to Mark’s family tomorrow night through a blood bond but before that, they would have to make another bond for Jackson.

Jackson’s entire family, along with all the branch families stood rooted to their spot as Jackson cleared his throat. The energy he was emitting made their hair stand on end, their wolf halves suddenly becoming hyper aware of his presence.

“Father, mother… I want to confess something in front of all our loved ones...”

Jackson’s parents waited for him to speak up. When Jackson had returned home early in the morning, he had immediately told them that he had something to confess in front of the whole family. They both knew what was about to go down. The house was full of wolves, patiently waiting to hear what Jackson had to say.

“Every Wang family member is to hereby make a blood bond with my father to not reveal what I am about to say here.”

Collective gasps were heard from around, Jackson felt his nervousness spike.

“Do you all agree? Only when you swear your complete support to my father, I will be able to tell you what you all should rightfully know. This fact could affect our entire main and branch families in ways we cannot fathom…we need to be sure we are prepared for everything, together. Do we, as wolves of a great family, promise to keep each other safe?”

There was a stiff silence. People stared at each other, some doubtful, some curious and some determined.

“Is this about your wedding?” Jackson’s uncle asked. He had been away for long. Jackson had missed him during his strength training because his uncle was known to be one of the strongest Alphas of the Bay. Though not a true Alpha, his strength was no less than one. Jackson didn’t know how he was going to react to the news but he was hoping for the best.

“My great grandmother was…” Jackson’s mother had spoken up and Jackson felt surprised.

She looked uncomfortable and scared but strangely so, she didn’t look weak.

“An Omega Prime.” Jackson’s father finished and people started murmuring.

Jackson snapped his head in his father’s direction. Why hadn’t he been told that his great-great grandmother was a Prime? Things started feeling so out of his control for a moment until his wolf told him about the binding magic that stopped people from revealing a Prime’s nature freely. Now that she was dead and the stigma behind Primes had considerably receded, Jackson’s father could finally talk about it.

“We got to know of the fact a decade ago when the binding magic was lifted after Jackson was born.”

Jackson frowned in confusion.

 _“Unless a Prime is born in a family again, the nature of the Prime who came before him remains bound by magic. When you were born, your mother started getting clues about your nature. The magic was tipping her off.”_ Feray explained. It must have been hard for his mother to not tell him about it. It must be really hard to know that her child was going to be in pain because of who he was. Jackson’s heart hurt as he looked at his mother with profound devotion and love.

The silence was still thick. Nobody knew what the hell was happening and they were eager, judging by how the Alphas fidgeted in their spots.

“Okay. What is the matter?” one of the wolves asked and Jackson’s father looked at him.

“Jackson will tell all of you…”

Jackson bunched his fists and closed his eyes.

“Promise me, you will make a blood bond the minute I tell you. Will you all make it?” he asked with so much passion and worry in his eyes that the wolves in front of him immediately grunted in agreement. He relaxed and turned to take a quick glance at Jinyoung. The boy smiled at him softly, as if to encourage him. He smiled back and looked around the room. It was time.

“I am an Omega Prime.”

**

Jinyoung was the only one apart from the Wang family who knew Jackson’s nature. Though he was not bound by a bond, Prince’s and Fie’s bond was strong enough to stop him from spilling the secret. Wolf magic did work in strangely beautiful ways. He thought he was privileged to know about Jackson’s nature because now he had to protect Jackson even more. The fact that Jackson was even more powerful than what he had imagined did not keep him from feeling responsible for his safety. Jinyoung knew that Jackson’s heart was far weaker than his body.

“Are you weirded out by me, Nyong-ah? We thought Primes were a myth, but here I am!” Jackson fidgeted awkwardly in his spot.

“No. I am not. You are beautiful and powerful, Jackson. I will always protect you and be by your side.” Jackson’s small smile was enough for Jinyoung in that moment.

They dived into preparations soon after. Many omegas roamed the house to make sure everything needed was going to be provided to Jackson. There were many small customs that needed to be followed after the marriage and they wanted Jackson to be ready for them all.

Because Mark’s family was an old one, there were many things that they had to inform Jackson about.  Jackson had listened to them all patiently, smiling now and then about how cute some of the customs were.

“You cannot, under any circumstances, leave the Tuan property for the first two days after marriage. His bite is going to be too powerful, physically, magically and emotionally. You may faint or-”

“HE’S A PRIME!” Jinyoung interrupted and Jackson’s two omega cousins in the room giggled.

“We keep on forgetting that. Also Jackson…I think we need to have the ‘TALK’ with you now. I am sure auntie must be weirded out about talking this stuff with you so she deputed us the job…”

Jackson was busy doing a skin care routine because the stress from the previous night still showed on his face. Even wolves were not exempt from having dark circles.

“Yeah? What stuff?”

“Umm…he’s a true Alpha, so…”

Jackson stiffened and his face gained colour. But he didn’t turn around to look at his cousins.

“The first time…it may be really, really hurtful.”

Jinyoung snorted at that. Jackson didn’t move even a bit.

“Because your body will be very pliant and eager, you may not feel extreme pain right away but…but it will start getting harder after a few…few…you know…” Jackson’s cousin’s voice went even lower, as if he was reliving a memory in his head. His scent heightened and the others in the room laughed.

“The…the slick…”

“AAAAAAAA, stopppppp!” Jackson couldn’t take it any longer. They were taught basics at the academy. He was sure he would figure out the rest, if it even came to it. He was doubtful about Mark initiating anything but he couldn’t tell his cousins that, could he?

“I know that it will thicken and stuff…I cannot get into that now…I can’t have my body heating up like this. This is so embarrassing, you guys.” He complained as he felt his palms grow warmer.

The others laughed pleasantly looking at a pouty Jackson cleaning his face and sighing.

“He is going to pounce on you the moment you two are alone…I still haven’t seen what he looks like but my Alpha keeps telling me that he is hella big. Ga, you are going to have one hell of a knot inside you.”

A pillow was thrown from across the room that hit the speaker’s face square. The day was going to get busier and weirder, Jackson thought.

As the time ticked, Jackson seemed to glow even more. His skin looked warmer and his eyes shined brightly. His scent started becoming more potent than before. His emotions were heightened and it showed. He was eager to bond with Mark and it was a great thing that there was nobody complaining about it.

 _Alpha, make me belong_ , Jackson thought and smiled. Love or no love, Jackson was going to be Mark’s and that in itself was enough reason for him be happy.

**

The Tuan Estate looked bright and energetic. Grand decorations graced the property and the hubbub of people made it come to life. It was a big deal for the water element wolves. The Im family was undertaking all important tasks with fervour. The Tuans had spent a big amount for all the preparations, gifts, Mark and Jackson’s house and everything else that they had to do.

Jackson’s family had made sure that the water element packs and their branch families were provided with the best food available in the Bay. Jackson’s father had sent a whole team of people to cater to the wolves for two days. The lavishness that the families were projecting had already become the talk of the Bay.  

Mark and Jackson’s house was completely decorated with lights. It felt like they were celebrating a festival. Mark thought it was a bit too much but Jaebeom had elbowed him and he had decided to not intervene in wedding matters.

It was tradition that the Alpha’s and omega’s fathers officiate the wedding. The mothers would have to walk the boys down the aisle. There was no superiority of rank during the marriage. The vows were to be said and rings were to be exchanged. The pair would have to start off as equals and then be joined by a bite. More recently, the pair would kiss but because Mark’s family was an old one, they didn’t really do that.

The pack would have to stand behind the Alpha and cheer him on to accept the omega by howling joyfully. Alphas closely related to the omega would ‘give him away’ with a lot of effort, after grilling the Alpha with a series of questions. It was a fun custom to make sure the Alpha would take care of the Omega and make certain promises as reassurance in front of both families. Once they were satisfied, they were supposed to put the omega’s hand into the Alpha’s and that would conclude the wedding. The pair would be blessed with the Bay’s water and the elders of the two families. The Alpha was then supposed to take the omega away and give him the bite under the moonlight. The pack would surround them and help the omega with the healing process.

The Omega, after regaining some energy, would get branded with the pack symbol at the hands of a pack elder. The symbol would be smeared by blood of every pack member, much like a blood bond and would finally take hold once the omega’s blood would also mix with the others. The wound would start to heal with the blood from the pack and the magic would bind the omega into the pack forever. A grand feast followed the wedding and there was alcohol and dancing. Wolves even shifted out of happiness and ran into the forest but it was not always the case with true Alphas, because they could control their wolves well.

“Why the long face, bro?” Jaebeom asked and Mark huffed.

“I swear to the Bay, Yi En, if you sulk like this tonight, I will personally beat your ass. It’s your wedding day! YOUR WEDDING DAY!”

“No need to yellll,” Mark whined. “I am just…I don’t know…my heart hurts, Jaebeom. What if…what if I…I just keep hurting him? I am not sure how I feel about this whole thing. I-”

“This is a match chosen by the old wolves. You have to put your faith in them. And Jackson…he’s amazing. He’s pure. He will uphold the family name, he will be a great omega and the betas already love him. Once Joey gets posted in the human world, we will really need the pack to be upbeat. You know, we might have to send both Joey and his mate away. I hope he gets matched fast!” Jaebeom started babbling and Mark sighed. There was no way out. He had to get married to Jackson. He had to be a husband. He longed to be a father, but that was never going to happen for him, was it?

“Promise me, you will at least try. I am so sure that once you claim him, you will only have eyes for him. You will be smitten beyond your imagination. You will love him so much. You will forget all your doubts.”

Mark just grunted at that and looked at his and Jackson’s house.

“Did you appoint a caretaker? What about the car?”

Jaebeom nodded eagerly.

“Mrs Grey! She is really happy about it. I have booked the car. It will be delivered tomorrow evening. I added some extra things so it’s taking time.”

Mark nodded.

“It’s almost noon. Can you at least take some interest in your outfit, look and stuff? I have shortlisted five suits. Choose the one you like. Jackson’s wearing robes…so you should mat-”

“No. I am going to wear what I like. I am not matching with him. That’s so cringey.” The grimace on the boy’s face made Jaebeom feel exasperated.

“Come with me. Mother has been so disappointed about how uninterested you have been. You didn’t even come shopping for the ring with us. Everyone seem a bit worried about how you have been behaving. For goodness’s sake, before the pups take matters into their own hands, be a little more excited about this union. MARK, please,” he pleaded. Mark’s eyes widened at the possibility of the betas scheming. He did not want that, not today of all days.

“Alright, alright. Let’s go.”

**

A fleet of cars arrived at the Estate and the large gates opened at once. Jackson was sitting in a car flanked by his relatives’ cars and when they stopped, he breathed in nervously. Jinyoung clutched his hand immediately, sensing his unrest.

They had arrived a bit early so Jackson could change into his robes, calm his nerves a bit and Jackson’s relatives could take some time to interact with Mark’s family. It was not common for the omega’s extended family to interact with the Alpha’s unless on the wedding day. Everyone was eager to know Mark’s family better. Their reputation was already spotless and the Wang family members who had arrived from different corners of the Bay and the world were dying to see what a true Alpha family would be like. Their excitement was palpable from the minute Jackson stepped out of the car.

An usher guided the guests towards the mansion while Jinyoung and Jackson were guided by Joey to a different location. Another car was ready to take them away.

“Jackson, remember everything I told you. Call me when you are ready. Jinyoung, do not leave his side even for a moment, okay?” Jackson’s mother warned and the two nodded.

Joey immediately got his phone out when he couldn’t find the driver anywhere.

“Sam, I need you at the main entrance right away. I had warned you to put some staff here. Why do I have to keep repeating myself?” he hissed. Jinyoung flinched at the tone.

Joey seemed to have sensed it and stopped short.

“Jackson, wait. The staff will drive you. Mr Jinyoung, just hold on,” he spoke softly and was amused to see Jinyoung’s face redden.

Joey shook his head side by side because Jackson’s scent was choking him. He had never felt so overwhelmed in his life before. This was a scent so beautifully entwined with Mark’s that it instantly made him feel happy. The wolf inside him that heeded Mark felt excited. He couldn’t wait for Jackson to be a part of their pack. He looked at Jackson’s face. It was radiating a glow which could only be attributed to heightened emotions and yearning.

 _“Mark, you lucky fucker,”_ he spoke into their bond and felt his body tingle as Mark grunted.

 _“What the hell? What are you talking about?”_ Mark was in the middle of getting dressed when Joey had nudged his wolf.

_“Your mate is here, smelling like you and yearning. And his friend…whew, hot stuff.”_

_“Jackson’s here already? What is he wearing? Is he wearing the robe? Can I come see him? And stop staring at the other omega,”_ BamBam butted right in and the others laughed.

 _“Not yet, I am taking them to the north end cottage. He will change there. Did you expect him to come wearing the robe while they drove here from afar? Dumb pup.”_ Joey snickered and BamBam whined.

_“See him directly at the ceremony. Not much time is left anyway.”_

_“Mark, he smells delicious. Please. He is totally into you. Your scent has turned so velvety and clingy on him. It’s like a delicious whiff of vanilla and cocoa. His whole aura smells of jasmines though. Gosh, he is glowing. What a beautiful omega you have been blessed with.”_

Mark fumbled with his shirt button at that. He could now sense Jackson close and the nervousness he was projecting. There wasn’t much time left until they saw each other but his wolf tugged at his heart.

 _“Boo, no. We cannot see him before the ceremony. Don’t be like this. Just another hour. Hold on, you doofus.”_ Finally his wolf relented but still whined at the delay.

_“Pups, who’s going to hold him after the bite? Have you decided?”_

_“Yugyeom.”_

_“Alright. Jaebeom and I are almost done. Why aren’t you guys here already?”_

_“On our way, Alpha,”_ Youngjae chimed in happily and they finally closed off their link.

Jackson and Jinyoung were dumbly staring at Joey so he cleared his throat. The driver had finally run towards them and Joey huffed.

“You do not want Mark to know that you are being irresponsible.”

The man immediately bowed in apology and started moving with the luggage towards the car.

“Alpha…umm…please make sure nobody comes there…my mother…she…just make sure I won’t be seen before the wedding. How do I get to the-”

“This driver will drive you there. Just press the button near the door once you are ready.” Joey smiled warmly as he looked at Jackson fidget.

“There’s plenty of room there. You can call your parents or anyone from your family there. I will make sure nobody from our side of the family sees you before marriage. Don’t worry, okay? Do you need anything else?”

Jackson smiled at Joey gratefully before shaking his head. The Alpha smiled back, side eyeing Jinyoung with slight interest. The omega quickly moved to hide behind Jackson.

“Be ready in time…okay? Just use the intercom if you need anything at all. There’s fresh juice and tea there. Jaebeom has arranged everything for you. See you, our dear omega…” Joey put his hand on Jackson’s head and bobbed it affectionately, making Jackson smile in earnest at the rare display of affection on Joey’s part. Jackson and Jinyoung finally got into the car.

After a five minute drive through a cover of thick trees, they reached a small opening. On the right side was a cosy looking cottage.

Once inside, Jackson felt more than welcome. Jaebeom had the whole place feeling warm and beautiful. Everything Jackson could ever need was there. He looked around in admiration how meticulously everything had been arranged.

Jinyoung bit his lip as he stared at a picture of Jackson’s pack. Jaebeom’s smiling face made his stomach flip weirdly.

“We don’t have much time. You need to get changed. Let’s look around later. Okay?” he said hastily.

Jackson had worn a black suit. It wasn’t much but at least it made him look good. He hastily took off the jacket and started unbuttoning the dress shirt.

“Do you think my hair looks greasy? Should I quickly wash it? What about my face? Does it look oily? Should I put on a mask? Did you pack my shoes that go with the robes? What about-”

“CALM DOWN, YOU IDIOT!” Jinyoung yelled and Jackson shut his mouth instantly, his face reddening. “Everything’s here. Go wash your hair and face. Make sure you wash your neck properly. You know what, just take a quick shower. I am going to get your robes out.”

Jackson rushed to find the bathroom. Jinyoung fumbled with the stuff that Jackson was going to need to get ready. It was easy for men, he had to accept, as compared to female omegas. There were things that a female omega’s body would do to express eagerness. Whoa! Jinyoung was so happy to be a male omega. He really felt like the idea of wearing robes was a bit too feminine for his taste but it made sense. It would be really awkward to wear a suit and get into an Alpha’s lap for the bite. It would be really weird to take off clothes in front of the pack…he shivered at the thought. Robes were practical after all.

When Jackson came out bath fresh, his scent had intensified even more. Jinyoung’s head hurt by its intensity.

“Holy Bay, you are like a bottle of perfume,” he grimaced. “Wait a minute…”

Jinyoung stared at Jackson with increased surprise. “Goddamn, you look golden. You are shining!”

Jackson widened his eyes at that and turned to look towards the mirror. His mouth fell open. Not only was his skin looking extremely clear but there was a glow he couldn’t place. Was he always this good looking or…? Even his hair looked silkier and thicker as he dried them. He felt like he was a new person altogether.

“The beta’s choice is so…don’t you think it is too…” Jackson asked as he looked at the robe.

“Provocative? Yes. But if someone from the pack chose it for you then I don’t think you have to worry. And we did find a solution, didn’t we?”

Jackson nodded and gulped.

“If he hates me in-”

“I will be really upset if he doesn’t pop a boner when he lays his eyes on you.”

“PARK JINYOUNG!”

Jinyoung giggled as he helped Jackson into the robe. It clung to his body perfectly. The pristine white silk was lined by Prussian blue. It was held together around his waist with a belt but pretty much revealed his chest. He covered it consciously until Jinyoung moved his hand away.

“Let me,” Jinyoung turned him around and helped him. Jackson hoped that BamBam wouldn’t be mad about this. He didn’t want to upset his beta in any way but he couldn’t show his chest off at his wedding, could he? That would be a bit too much even for 2018.

The sleeves were longer and loose so Jinyoung folded and pushed them back a bit. They rested nicely on Jackson’s wrists. He put on the jewellery next. It was an intricately designed golden bangle, encrusted with diamonds. Jackson wore his family ring in the index finger of his right hand.

“He had to choose a robe with a blue lining huh,”

“Yes. It is the pack’s colour. Beta is really cute. He was so excited about it. I had no idea he had taken so many efforts to get this robe made for me.”

“I cannot forget his giggles. ‘Omega, wait for the Alpha to see you in them. He’s going to faint.’ He’s really an enthusiastic kid. You have such nice betas, lucky youuuu,” Jinyoung ran his fingers through Jackson’s hair to make them behave.

“Yes. I am afraid they won’t let me breathe starting tomorrow,” he chuckled but the sadness in that laughter was easy for Jinyoung to catch.

“At least you have someone who will look out for you, Jackson.” He muttered and went to put on his own new clothes.

Jackson gulped as the loneliness settled in. He policed his heart to not have doubts or feel sad. His wolf assured him that he would keep his strength up, no matter what.

_“You are beautiful, Ga. I am so in love with you.”_

The wolf’s cheesiness drew out a giggle from him.

“Of course you are. I am you, after all. You have to love yourself, you stupid wolf,” he muttered with so much affection that the wolf sent a warm shiver down his body.

“Help me smile, Feray. Help me and stick with me. I am relying on you, my sweet beast. Give me all the strength you have so I can be happy today and not think about anything else.”

_“You got it, boss.”_

Jackson smiled wide and looked at his reflection. He was ready. He moistened his lips with some balm and tried to make his hair behave but it was a lost cause. It rested on his forehead stubbornly. Jackson was okay with one slight imperfection after all. His eyes shined a bright yellow making him bite his lip shyly.

“Ready?” Jinyoung whispered behind him. He looked flawless in his black suit. Jackson whistled at him and pulled at his cheeks.

“Eww, what are you doing?” Jinyoung pushed at his hands.

“I will be really upset if some Alpha from Mark’s side of the family doesn’t get his eyes on you. I am sure one of them is bound to do something dumb once they look at you.”

“Says the man who’s shining like the sun itself,” Jinyoung giggled. “No matter what they feel, the bowl will choose for me so…” Jinyoung smirked. “I will be happy to break some hearts.” They both laughed until the moment settled in.

“Let’s go, Sseunie.” But he didn’t move. Instead he stared straight into Jackson’s eyes. It was like he was in a trance.

 _“Feray…my brother, a part of my very soul, I promise to love you from afar from now. Even if you call upon me in the middle of the night, I will be there…”_ Jinyoung’s eyes were a bright yellow as he spoke, fat tears flowing down them, making Jackson’s heart break.

_“Ates…you will always be in my heart, no matter the distance. My love for you only multiplies, my Prince, my fiery dragon, my soul is bound to you forever. I will heed your advice in my darkest times, my sweet brother. I will miss you the most.”_

The wolves howled in harmony, followed by pained wails before Jackson buried his nose in the crook of Jinyoung’s neck, planted quick kisses on his pulse point and sobbed, hugging the life out of Jinyoung.

Jackson felt a surge of energy just then. May be Mark had heard his howl. Jinyoung moved away as the scent of dark cocoa and jasmines filled the air. Mark’s scent intensified automatically, as if to calm him down. He wiped at his own eyes vigorously before looking at Jackson with something Jackson could only identify as pity.

“His wolf responds to your sorrow. He loves you.”

Jackson nodded sadly and cleaned his face. The tip of his nose was red because of the crying. He whined.

“Give it a minute, you will be alright. Should I call the driver?”

“Yes. Let me call Ma and tell her we are leaving.”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you like the name of Mark's and Jinyoung's wolves?  
> Next update coming up tomorrow.  
> I was supposed to update this on 1st January, but I couldn't complete the chapter on time. I was also stuck on a few things. Leave me comments about how you feel. I am so sorry about not being able to reply to all comments. But please know, I read and appreciate them a lot. I hope you enjoy the anticipation of marriage in this chapter.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark's goes a bit coo-coo, becomes a husband, was a mess before, is a mess now.  
> #TeamCooCooMark  
> #InHisFeelingsMark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do. I do.  
> We are married now, people.  
> Who writes three big ass wedding chapters? Guess who? Me! I broke this chapter in 2 because it had become too long. I will add more juicy stuff to the next chapter and update as soon as I can.  
> If you have any doubts, just comment.

The backyard was beautifully converted into a tent for the wedding. The whole place was lit with warm lights and flowers. A big wedding signage was on display right at the entrance with Tuan and Wang Family names entwined with shining golden threads. The arches of the tent were decorated in blue and crimson, symbolizing the colors of the Blue Light Pack and Jackson’s family. Music played in the background as guests mingled with each other. The night was particularly a cold one but it didn’t bother the wolves much.

Mark was with his friends in the grand balcony of the mansion, overlooking the tent. There were still fifteen minutes until the wedding commenced. Packs always started wedding ceremonies based on the phases of the moon.

Mark looked dashing in a three piece navy blue suit with a white dress shirt. His hair was pulled back and a single crescent moon earring dangled from his left ear. The pack symbol on his right arm tingled funnily for some reason. Anytime now, Jackson would get there and the ceremony would commence. The nervousness that he had pushed away started to creep back.

People looked happy around him and were in great harmony with each other. He felt oddly calm then, looking at all of them happily interacting with each other. The energy was really positive and strong.

His pack looked eager and happy too. They were all busy posing for pictures together. It made him really happy to look at them be so excited. It wasn’t that bad after all. It’s what he lived for, his pack and its happiness.

“Boo, come on, he’s here. I have to walk you inside. Let’s go,” his mother grabbed his arm.

The music had suddenly changed and the hubbub died down instantly. Mark felt his stomach flip and it wasn’t something he felt on a regular basis; it unnerved him.

His mother hooked her arm with his and slowly but strongly they got down the stairs. She had a bright smile on her face because she was genuinely happy. The pack was right behind them, urging Mark to smile as the cameras started flashing once they reached the tent. The walk to the front was a long one, thanks to the many people attending the wedding. Many whistles, claps and murmurs were heard as Mark finally made it to the front. At that point, the people in the aisles were just a blur for him. His world titled on a dangerous axis. As an Alpha, he had never felt this nervous and affected by anything. Every breath he took made him realize that he was about to go through something he had had so many different dreams about. He was going to live a completely different reality.

As they reached the front, Mark mustered a small smile. His father was standing along with Jackson’s, dressed in his best, eyes twinkling and face splitting in a bright smile upon his arrival. He got on his knees to seek their blessings.

“Son, this is one of the happiest days of our lives,” his father muttered and affectionately patted his head. “Uphold the family name and treat your omega with love and respect. May the Bay bless you with endless power.”

“Thank you for agreeing to this union, Alpha. I bless you with all my heart. May my son bring you a lot of happiness. May he add value to your pack. Please take good care of him.” Jackson’s father patted his head. Mark got up and nodded, feeling even more burdened than before.

Jaebeom and Joey were standing close behind him, like his shadow. He grabbed at Jaebeom’s hand as if on instinct and started breathing heavily. The pack surrounded him amidst giggles and hugged him tight. Smothered, Mark felt better instantly, laughing out loud at the absurdity of it all.

“Go, get him, tiger,” Joey whispered.

The music changed again. Mark turned to look at the entrance as he was slowly released from the hug. He felt his breath get knocked out of his chest.

Jackson looked holy. There was no other way to describe him. His scent hit Mark like a tornado, making him feel a bit dizzy and weird.

Jackson walked towards him, as if in slow motion, his arm linked with his mother and flanked by Jinyoung on the other side. The pack gasped audibly when they saw him. The whole crowd seemed to fall in love with him instantly as coos and whistles were heard. His eyes were on the ground, he wasn’t looking up, even when they almost reached the front.

His robe was pristine white with Prussian blue lining, Mark noticed. He wore a silver choker in his neck. Right on his collar bone, a silver crescent moon dangled from the choker, from which the chains that held the robe closer to his chest were connected. They looked like the rays of the moon. Thanks to the thin chains, his body wasn’t revealed. What kind of a robe was this? It was so provocative even when the boy had taken so much care to not expose his skin a lot. Why had Bam dressed him in such a robe? He found it hard to breathe.

Mark felt his heartbeat skyrocket immediately as he stared Jackson down from head to toe. His hair looked soft as it bounced on his forehead. His lips were slightly glossy and plump. His skin glowed like the morning sun, contrasting beautifully against his white robe. His body looked toned just the right way in it. Mark felt a dull arousal settle at the pit of his stomach, his fingertips itched to touch the man who was closing the distance between them. He closed his eyes and willed his wolf to stop.

_“I am sorry, this isn’t me. This is you.”_

Mark breathed in heavily at that and shot his eyes open. Was it really him? Was it not his wolf?

_“I am not surprised. Just look at him in all his glory. Look at what the bowl blessed you with. Doesn’t he look like the time he first showed himself to us? Are you getting hard, Yi En? This isn’t the time or the place to…”_

He grabbed Youngjae’s hand. His breathing was getting labored again.

“Calm down. It’s alright, it’s alright.” Youngjae planted quick kisses on his knuckles and Mark released the breath he was holding.

Jackson had finally reached the front. He immediately got on his knees to seek blessings of Mark’s family. He was blessed generously, even more than Mark. Mark bowed to Jackson’s mother.

“You have to take care of my baby. He’s young and full of life. He will be perfect for you and will always heed only you. I bless you from the bottom of my heart. I wish you all the happiness in the world, son.” She blessed him and Mark felt his heart get heavy. He nodded, even when he was doubtful about everything.

Jackson still hadn’t looked up but Mark could see the redness of his cheeks and the tip of his ears. He felt a chill down his spine. This was the person he had so dedicatedly tried to snub, to fool, to neglect and ignore. This person, who had not once given him a reason to complain or to feel offended or ignored. This person, who had eagerly responded to even the smallest of his gestures with a full heart. Had he been wrong to assume that he would never be affected by a person in his life? That his life’s aims would never be shaken by petty emotions like love and companionship? Had love and companionship become petty for him only because Jackson was a man and couldn’t give him successors? His body throbbed, his heart ached. He had nothing to lose and nothing to gain in that moment. But maybe, just maybe if he tried to give Jackson some respect, he wouldn’t feel so bad about himself anymore? Maybe then he could devote himself to helping the Bay and carry out his responsibilities? Maybe he could give this person something for being so pure and harmless?

“Jackson…” he muttered, heart pounding with emotion before he could control himself. It was a soft whisper but everyone around him heard and stared. It was just his pack, his family and Jackson’s, and of course Jinyoung but it made Mark’s face gain colour instantly.

The betas snickered behind him, Jinyoung rightfully snorted, the mothers cooed while the fathers just shook their heads fondly.

At being addressed like that, Jackson couldn’t help but look up. When he did, Mark was staring at his face with his mouth slightly agape. It made Jackson shy and look away. He clutched Jinyoung’s hand for what Mark assumed, support, and bit his lip. It sent Mark into an overdrive so he took a step forward and extended his arms as if to pull Jackson closer. He wanted Jackson in that moment. He wanted the man to be in his arms so he could feel and understand, sniff and gauge the omega. He wanted Jackson, yearned for his touch and aura. He felt like his throat was parched from being in a dry abyss of hopelessness and negativity and only Jackson’s touch and scent could soothe him. He yearned for the man, too strongly and fully.

“Honey…let’s get you married first…you can do this later…” his mother giggled and pulled him back. The crowd moved in its spot to see what was happening. Mark was lucky his pack covered him well.

Meanwhile, Jackson snapped his head up and saw Mark’s extended arms. His face struggled to remain straight for a few second but then he lost it and hid behind his palms. People whistled and Jackson felt his whole being heat up with embarrassment. Why was Mark being like this? God! Was he crazy?

The action seemed to rile Mark’s heart up even more. The feeling of quenching himself with Jackson ruled his heart, body and mind. The collective yearning made him breathe through his mouth. Alphas did not react well to yearning, and in no way was Mark reacting like a normal person. He bunched his fingers, stretched his muscles as if trying to tame them. He stared at Jackson with an expression very much neutral to the outside world, but a storm raged inside him. He was going against everything he thought he knew about himself.

Then Mark’s father spoke loud enough to capture everyone’s attention, bringing him out of his trance-like state, back into a reality where at a small distance stood the man who was tempting him on so many levels.

“With the blessing of the Holy bowl, we are gathered here for the union of my son Mark and Wang Jackson. Mark, a Blue Light Pack Alpha, descendent of the great wolf Lykiaos, a strong water element Alpha, my first born, leader of the new generation and my pride. Jackson, the son of Ricky Wang, a pure, untainted omega, his first born, his pride. With all of you as witness, we would like to join these two wolves in holy matrimony, to be followed by the claiming ceremony and branding under the moonlight.”

Mark gulped as it started to sink in even more that he was going to be responsible for Jackson. He was going to be Jackson’s ALPHA. Jackson was going to be HIS.

“My son Jackson, my only child, blessed by the wolves old and new, bestowed with strength and vigour, but a soft heart and genuine smile. You have always made me proud, upheld the family name. Let this union give you all the happiness you so rightfully deserve. Be your Alpha’s strength and your pack’s support system. Be a wolf who is loved and respected.” His voice cracked. Jackson felt teary eyed. His father was a strict Alpha but at the same time he was so full of love and affection. It was a lovely contrast. Hearing his father say something so heartfelt made Jackson emotional.

“Daddy…I promise. Please don’t make me cry right now,” he mumbled and his mother rubbed his back affectionately.

Mr Wang gave a teary chuckle at his son’s request and nodded. Then both Mark’s and Jackson’s fathers retold the great story of the wolves, recounting the many times Alpha-Omega couples had saved their packs, how the pups were protected and dens were safeguarded during the great wars. Their stories made apparent that an Alpha-Omega union was a blessing and would lead the wolves to a bright future. The crowd was filled with pride and the wolf energy in the tent grew manifolds. This was done during every wedding, only the way of telling the stories differed depending on the families involved. Because the Tuans were an old True Alpha family, they had so much more to tell about the water element Alphas that it made Jackson’s side of the family feel extremely proud and happy. If only they could tell everyone about Jackson’s nature then the Tuans would know how Jackson wasn’t just an ordinary omega.

Mark couldn’t take his eyes off of Jackson as the stories were being told. He just couldn’t. There was no way that this was him and not his wolf. It made him feel weird but then he realized that he had never been involved with any other wolf before, not beyond a few dates while at the Academy, when he was a bit rebellious and high on his Alpha powers. Ever since he had understood the workings of the Bay and his father had leashed him in, he had never once engaged with anybody. Now that he had a person to claim as his own, someone to share a space with, life with and a bed with…the idea got him a bit excited, confused and guilty about ignoring his responsibilities but excited. The way Jackson looked, the soft smiles he was giving as the stories were told, made his resolve weaken. It disturbed him but he pushed it down because who in their right state of mind didn’t want to look at a person so divinely beautiful? His eyes lingered on Jackson with intent, a natural response of his human desires and he couldn’t bring himself to control them. He suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable, like his pants were a bit too tight…this wasn’t really happening, was it?

“Now, let us begin with the vows. I hope both of you have prepared them well. Mark…”

Mark felt a bit out of control. Jaebeom was holding the ring box open in which an intricately carved golden band rested snugly. This was the first time he was seeing it. No doubt, Jaebeom had helped his mother with it because he was all for the details. The blue box holding it felt magically charged for some reason. May be Mark was really losing his mind.

Staring at the ring, Mark willed himself to not be affected by his thought or his body’s erraticism. Jackson’s enchanting scent and proximity were not helping one bit. He cleared his throat as he pulled out a small piece of paper from his pocket. He had managed to scribble the vows after the betas had pushed him endlessly about them, Joey had threatened to stop talking to him if he didn’t draft them and Jaebeom had tackled him over the couch after a late night at work. He didn’t even remember them. He had written them almost mechanically, trying to put on paper everything he could remember from the weddings of his Alpha friends. The combination of guilt, sadness and extreme anxiety made him feel so unlike an Alpha but his wolf steeled him, grunting encouraging words into his head and asking him to be a true wolf in that moment.

He looked at the guests and bowed. Then he glanced at Jackson and gulped because wow, his visual was breath taking.

“With the blessing of the Holy Bay and the Bowl, I met you, Jackson. As your Alpha, I promise to protect you, respect you and stay faithful to you till my end.” He breathed in as the words echoed in the tent and then in his heart.

“I promise to give you all that you desire, support your dreams, take care of you in sickness, and shed my blood in your honour.” Mark could hear hoots from his friends sitting down the aisle.

“I will…” he glanced at Jackson. He looked shy but focused on Mark’s every word. The rosy blush on his cheeks made him look ethereal. He couldn’t help but want to caress the man’s face. He again took a step towards the omega but Jaebeom pulled him right back. Silent snickers could be heard from the crowd. Jackson’s face gained even more colour and the corners of his lips turned upwards. Mark’s heart did a funny flip and he couldn’t help but smile. His heart leapt in his chest because wow, Jackson’s smiles today were nothing like before. They were breathtakingly pure and contagious. 

“I will share with you my heart, my life, my hunt, my pack, my home and my bed.” He sucked a breath in. The betas snickered behind him. He could imagine what they were snickering about.

He saw Jackson grab Jinyoung’s hand tightly. His face couldn’t possibly get any redder. His smile was beautiful. No matter how he had treated the omega, he had remained consistently responsive to him, to his presence, to his touch and his charm. Mark wanted to return that favor in full. Maybe he could spend some time with Jackson, try to get to know him, be friendly and cordial with him, not harsh and angry. Maybe they could take a walk together from time to time? Go out…to shop? Maybe Mark could help him with stuff like grocery, training and his heats? Wait heats? Yes, he could help Jackson with anything and everything. Nobody else could do that for Jackson once they got married, right? He had to take some responsibility.

“I promise to ease your heats to the best of my ability.” Jackson’s breath hitched at that, he looked up at Mark with his mouth agape. The people around controlled their snickers as well as they could but some had definitely laughed out loud. What had he done? Why had he just…talked about Jackson’s heat in front of everyone? There were so many elders from his family sitting in the front row. They were traditional wolves and did not talk about their mate’s heats ever. Was he going to get his ass whooped later?

He forgot all his worries when he stared into Jackson’s eyes. Jackson looked back at him intently. Was Mark being a bit too daring or just…taunting him? Jackson probed into his eyes to know his intention.

Mark smirked at him, he couldn’t help it. Omegas were so pretty like this, especially this one. The pliancy was clear even through his eyes. It titillated a wild part inside Mark’s mind. The younger looked away just then, shying at the implication so much that he made an embarrassed noise.

“I will only heed you, only desire you and be devoted to you. I will answer your wolf’s call till my time on this earth ends.”

Jackson couldn’t take it anymore, he smiled wide, his eyes were glued to the ground once again and his grip on Jinyoung’s hand had tightened.

“I promise to care and love your family as mine. I will respect and cherish them to the best of my ability.” Vow after vow flowed out of Mark’s mouth effortlessly.

“I promise you love and honour from my pack, from all the Alphas and the Betas who are bound to me.”

“I vow to remain true to this bond, true to this union, true to your wolf and you. With the blessings of the Holy Bay and the Bowl, we have been chosen to unite. Do you, as an omega, accept me as your Alpha and agree to tell me the name of your wolf in the presence of our families?” he panted after all the vows had been said. Joey snickered beside him but Mark was not going to pay attention to him. He needed to hear Jackson’s answer. Of course he was going to say yes, he was in love with him. Of course…he was going to say yes, right? Why wasn’t he saying anything? Mark frowned as his eyes squinted to stare at Jackson.

Jackson’s eyes crinkled. He smiled wide before nodding gently. His mother nudged him at that.

“You can’t just nodddd…!” Everyone around laughed.

“I do.” Everybody cheered then. Mark pulled out the band from the box and stepped closer to Jackson. Jackson instinctively took a step back until Jinyoung pushed him towards Mark. They almost collided.

Jackson was frozen in his spot because Mark was right there. There was hardly any distance between them.

Mark extended his arm in which he was holding the band. Jackson slowly extended his left hand. He still wasn’t looking at Mark. The pack and families had taken a step back to give them space so Jackson gulped nervously. He didn’t have Jinyoung’s hand to hold. He parted his fingers so Mark could put the band on his ring finger. When Mark’s hand touched his, his whole body tingled funnily.

“My wolf is named Feray, after the radiant moon.” Jackson muttered. Everyone applauded at that.

“Will you accept my bite and the branding of my pack symbol on your body?”

“I will.”

“Feray. My Omega.” Mark muttered and planted a kiss on Jackson’s hand before taking a step back.

It took a minute for Jackson to calm his heart down. It felt like time had stopped. Mark’s vows had been beautifully drafted, had exceeded his expectations on so many levels. More so, the Alpha suddenly looked involved and it unnerved him. Jackson had noticed that the man couldn’t stop staring at him. It made him feel wanted and desired. It was something that he had never expected when he had left the house today. He had assumed that…that Mark would act cold to him even tonight…but things felt different.

The touch of Mark’s lips lingered on his hand. He stared at it and then at Mark, who was staring back at him. His surprise must show on his face because Mark’s stare was intent. Then it turned slightly…lecherous? Jackson’s eyes widened a bit and he raised an eyebrow. Mark smirked at him again and then…winked.

Jackson looked at him, scandalized. This wasn’t happening. This was odd. This behavior was freaking him out. He remembered his mother telling him that even if Alphas did not have heightened emotions like omegas before marriage, they went a little coo-coo on their wedding nights because they lost all their inhibitions and got drunk on possibilities of being with an omega. It was also fueled with desire to claim the omega and repeatedly reassert that claim. It had been the most embarrassing conversation he had ever had with his mother. Was Mark affected by his deepening desires? He was brought out of his weird statis state when his mother patted his shoulder.

“Your vows…”

Jackson nodded. He cleared his throat before meeting Mark’s eyes confidently. He wasn’t a measly omega who had no courage to say his vows to his Alpha’s face. He was a Prime! His wolf growled happily at his thoughts and it reassured him a lot.

“With the blessings of the Holy Bay and the Bowl, I met you, Alpha. As your Omega, I promise you my all my love and devotion. I will heed you and only you.” He smiled. Mark looked like he was in a trance as he stared into Jackson’s eyes.

“I promise to uphold the name of our family, respect and love your parents as mine. I will always put our pack before anything else.”

Mark’s mother cooed at that.

“I promise to take care of you and your needs, till my end. My blood will spill fearlessly in your honour.”

“I promise to care for every Alpha and Beta that is bound to you. I will love and respect them with all my heart.”

The betas smiled at Jackson while Jaebeom and Joey looked on with affection.

“I promise to share my heart, my love, my hunt and my…my…I…” he bit his lip as he looked at his mother. She smiled at him and asked him to go on.

“My bed…with you.” He completed with much difficulty. It was just how the vows were said. It was imperative for the couple to clearly express their intention of bonding with each other. Without being too graphic, this was the only way of saying it. Jackson felt embarrassed as some whistles were heard.

“With you, I promise to live a peaceful wolf and human life. I will nourish and protect this pack till I see my end.”

“I promise to cherish every moment I spend with you, give you all the love that my heart can muster and all the strength you need.”

“I will respect all your decisions and words and follow you wherever you want me to go. Let us embark on this journey together.” His voice broke a bit.

“I promise to heed your wolf’s every call. I will always be with you to the best of my ability.”

“I promise to truly love you with all my heart. It will always be you, only you. I will love you till the end of time, Mark Tuan.” A single tear dropped from his eye and he looked away. The mothers were already emotional because of how touching Jackson’s vows were. Jinyoung wrapped his arm around Jackson’s shoulder and squeezed it.

Mark felt his heart jerk in his chest at the mention of love. None of his vows had said anything about love. But Jackson’s were so full of it. He didn’t know what to feel in that moment. He didn’t know if he deserved Jackson or if he was capable of reciprocating his love.

 _“He’s your destiny. You are bound to love him. Your heart will belong to him completely one day, Yi En. Trust me.”_ His wolf made him feel warm and protected and he really appreciated it. It was really hard to see Jackson cry. His face had scrunched unpleasantly and Mark wanted it to stop. Just when he was about to comfort the boy, Jinyoung presented Jackson the ring.

Jackson gently dabbed his eyes and pulled it out of the box. It was a simple golden band with a diamond in the centre. Wolves were not much for jewellery because they had to shift frequently. The rings would just be symbolic but it looked like Jackson had spent some time with it because the moment he looked at it, he smiled softly.

“I vow my love, strength and devotion to you and your pack. I will always stand by you. I will remain true to this bond, pack and marriage for the rest of my life. With the blessings of the Holy Bay and the Bowl, we have been chosen to unite. Do you, as an Alpha, accept me as your Omega and agree to tell me the name of your wolf in the presence of our families?”

Mark stared at Jackson’s face and felt his insides coil at how overwhelmed he felt. Jaebeom nudged him lightly because he hadn’t answered. He continued to stare into Jackson’s eyes. They looked so full of love and pure admiration. This love and admiration was his starting today. He had a whole person who loved him and admired him. And this person was as pretty and warm as Jackson. What dumb luck was he blessed with? Would Jackson still love him after knowing his intentions and knowing him for who he truly was? But now all he could think about was the slight pout that the omega was sporting. It was distracting and so was Jaebeom’s elbow nudging his ribcage.

“I do.” He said, as if his tongue wasn’t his own, his heart wasn’t his own.

Thunderous applaud and cheers were heard just then. Music started playing and people started celebrating.

Mark extended his left hand so Jackson could slip the ring in his finger. The touch made him jittery.

“My wolf is named Esmeray, after the dark moon.” The cheering turned louder then.

Mark, Jackson and the pack felt a surge in their powers immediately so they stilled before they went back to normal.

Mark knew the custom and he was ready to answer everything thrown at him. Jackson’s cousins looked like they were going to ask some fun questions and Mark was all up for some fun.

“Alpha, if Jackson doesn’t obey you, what will you do?” one of the Alphas asked and Mark’s pack snickered.

“If he has a reason to disobey me, I will understand his position. But if he doesn’t…” Mark looked at Jackson from head to toe, making everyone around them laugh. “I will have to closely inspect what’s wrong.” Everybody laughed at that. Jackson just hid behind Jinyoung.

“What will you do if he falls sick and refuses to heal with the pack?” the question gave him goosebumps. It physically hurt an Alpha when anyone from his pack was hurting. It hurt even more if his mate was hurting.

“I will make him. His health will be priority.”

“Will you send him back home to spend time with his family?”

“Yes. As long as he promises to come back.” The answer made everyone clap.

“What if he picks a fight with you?”

“I highly doubt that. I am sure he is not someone who pick fights. Right?”

Jackson peered over Jinyoung’s shoulder and nodded before going into hiding again.

“If we do end up fighting, I will try to find a solution that satisfies us both.”

“Are you going to take him on a honeymoon?” Jinyoung snorted at the question, instantly offending Mark and his pack.

“We haven’t discussed that yet. But if he wants to go, I will take him.” Jackson hid his face in Jinyoung’s back because no, how could they talk about this? It wasn’t even funny…

“Will you always protect him from harm’s way?”

“Yes. I will always keep him safe. It’s a promise.”

 _Look at Mark go_ , Jinyoung thought. _I hope he remembers his promises tomorrow_ , Prince added and they both sighed privately.

“How will you get to know him better? Do you promise to devote him your time? We heard you were a workaholic.”

“I will try my best to devote him time. Work keeps me busy but now that I have someone to return home to…” he looked in Jackson’s direction. “I think I will get home in time.” His own pack’s surprised yelps at the answer made him his scratch the back of his neck nervously.

“As an Alpha, what will be your most important duty? There’s only one correct answer.” Jackson peered to look at him, wondering what his answer would be.

Mark frowned and went into deep thought. The people around Jackson started snickering until Mark cleared his throat.

“To make my omega feel special every day through my words and…and actions.” He muttered and Jackson’s family members clapped like seals. Mark was happy to see Hyun Sik in the crowd and smiled.

“Do you promise to always take care of our Jackson, no matter what?”

“I promise.”

“Will you always think about his wellness and safety even if you are away from him?”

“I will.”

“Do you promise to love him with all your heart?”

Mark stopped short at that. This wasn’t expected. He looked at Jaebeom and everyone around him. His silence immediately caused everyone to tense. Jackson bunched Jinyoung’s blazer from behind, heart ready to bleed out in pain. Why would they do this? What if his answer was no? What if he just remained quiet and it raised suspicions in his family? They all had already continuously grilled him about his Prime nature and they were afraid that if many people came to know of it, he may be in danger. They were already worried sick about what Mark’s family’s reaction would be whenever Jackson planned to reveal his nature to them. If Mark’s answer was weird, everything would become infinitely complicated.

“Alpha?” “Do you promise to love him with all your heart?”

Being quiet was not going to do Mark any good. He felt his restlessness spike until his pack howled from behind him.

“I promise to try my best to give him the love that he deserves.”

Jackson’s people stared at Mark funny. This was weird.

Mark looked back at them, a rare vulnerability clear in his eyes. Jinyoung looked at his face and for the first time felt pity for the man. At least the Alpha had the audacity to be honest. It was commendable.

“Love takes time to bloom. I will make sure we both enjoy that journey.” Mark said and the tension eased a bit. Mark’s honesty was not misunderstood but was slowly appreciated by the whole group. Some Alphas took time to adjust to their unions. It wasn’t uncommon or bad. But it was rare for an Alpha to outright accept it. It showed Jackson’s family that Mark was forthcoming about things. It would definitely go a long way for him and his pack.

The group formed a circle around Jinyoung and Jackson, murmuring amongst themselves and Mark looked on nervously at them and then his family.

After a few minutes of deliberation, the Alphas smiled at Mark. One of Jackson’s older cousins held Jackson’s hand and walked him towards Mark.

“Alphas from the Wang family happily give away Jackson to you, Alpha.” Jackson’s hand was gently placed into Mark’s. The energy made Mark’s body tingle. He grabbed at Jackson’s hand tightly, making the boy look away again.

“We will now swear our solidarity to your pack.” The Alpha slightly bowed to him.

Everyone stood up and bowed. The Wang family Alphas started to band together in front of Mark’s father. Each of them punctured their palms with their teeth and rubbed a bit of their blood on Mark’s father’s pack symbol mouthing ‘My blood to yours, I pledge my solidarity to your pack from now to forever.’ Jackson’s father had been the first to make the bond. After all the Alphas were done, the marriage had concluded, alcohol was being freely served. The mood was jovial.

Mark had let go of Jackson’s hand, albeit sadly. They stood surrounded by their families, not saying anything to each other, just interacting with those around them quietly.

“Mark…” Mark’s father tapped his shoulder and nodded, signalling him to take Jackson away for the bite.

Jackson was surrounded by his family and friends, giggling and trying their best to cover him up. Mark stood on his toes to see where Jackson was. Why were they playing such games? It wasn’t even funny. Mark had the deepest urge to whine but he didn’t.

“Need to bribe us to take him away, Alpha.” Jinyoung had muttered as he locked arms with the other wolves guarding Jackson. “What is it going to be?”

Mark and his pack banded together and stared at them all with frowns on their faces.

“Give us our omega,” Yugyeom pouted and everyone cooed.

“Not so fast, beta. What are you offering, Alpha?” Jinyoung asked, giving Mark a judgmental stare. It immediately offended the whole pack.

“His family Alphas have already given him away to me. Why are you-”

“What’s your offer?” Jinyoung pushed. Apparently this was a game and Mark wasn’t winning unless he bribed Jackson’s snooty friend. Ugh.

Jaebeom wasn’t having any of this under his watch. Nobody was stopping Mark from taking Jackson away in his presence so he stepped forward.

Jinyoung gulped as he saw Jaebeom walk up to him and tower over him without much effort.

“What is it that you want, Omega?” he whispered in a deadly tone, making Jinyoung look away.

“May be I can give it to you? What do you want, J…Jinyoung?” Jaebeom’s throat went dry as he smelled Jinyoung’s heightened scent of wild Amazonian lilies with hints of peach.

Hyun Sik pulled Jinyoung back just then, sensing the change in the atmosphere.

“How about a treat and a hundred hand-picked oranges from your garden?” Jinyoung yelled while being pulled back.

Jaebeom snorted.

“Selling your friend so cheap?” Mark asked as he broke through the barrier with sheer strength and energy. Jackson looked small, surrounded by so many wolves. His eyes widened when he saw Mark standing in front of him. The next moment, Mark hauled Jackson over his shoulder. Enough was enough. Nobody was keeping him away from his omega anymore. Jackson yelped and held onto his robe for dear life before yelling for Jinyoung.

“God! Put him down, PUT HIM DOWN!” Jinyoung wrestled with Mark’s arm, hitting him repeatedly.

“You did not just hit my Alpha in front of me,” Jaebeom chuckled dryly before getting in there.

“Wait! Ouch!” Jinyoung moved away before being manhandled by Jaebeom. However he quickly grabbed the Alpha by his elbow and took him aside.

“Jackson needs to…needs to do something…he can’t go like that…stop your Alpha,” he pleaded. Jaebeom stared at Jinyoung’s face and then at his hand that was holding him by the elbow. Jinyoung let go immediately.

“How about you say please?”

“Holy Bay. You are annoying. Please, stop your Alpha! Okay?”

Mark hauling up Jackson over his shoulder had gotten mixed reactions from the crowd. Mark’s father stared at him funny but then Mark had smiled at him naughtily so he didn’t have the heart to berate him. The mothers looked scandalized. Jackson’s father was red in the face, unable to say or do anything.

“Yi En. Put him down. Holy Bay, what is up with you?” Jaebeom jerked the Alpha’s arm. Mark stared at Jaebeom with a look of betrayal.

“There’s something he needs to take care of before you take him away. Just hold on,” he patted him. 

Mark gently put Jackson down.

“You are too much.” The younger punched his arm before running to Jinyoung. Mark couldn’t help but laugh at that.

Jinyoung and Jackson whispered to each other before conferring about something with Mrs Wang. She nodded and the boys headed towards the mansion.

“Mark, do you want to eat something before you-”

“NO, NO, God no…” he shook his head vigorously and swung his arms around wildly. It made his mother laugh. She could clearly see how eager Mark was to take Jackson away.

“Gather the pack and wait for him outside the mansion. Don’t go too far into the woods, okay? I have arranged things in that opening that you like so much. Also Yi En, be gen-”

“MOMMMM!” Mark whined but she laughed.

Mark called the pack to head out, high-fiving his friends on the way, showing thumbs-up to Jackson’s cousins. There was a different energy running him altogether. He couldn’t relate to himself in that moment. What was happening to him? What was this strange magnetism that was controlling him in such a way? What was making him so eager to be with Jackson?

_“You took your first step towards this union. You told him my name. You shared with him my identity, you let him cross a wall. The magic rewards you for this because every union is created by it.”_

The wolf’s answer made sense. Now, there was more than a scent bond between him and Jackson. His wolf was no longer a stranger to Jackson. The magic around them was mingling together. The bonds that their families had formed had started to affect them by bringing them closer.

_“But it also your innate nature to claim what is yours…you will want to repeatedly claim him because of how you are wired as an Alpha. You might not let him out of your sight even for a minute.”_

Mark felt his heart beat quicken at the revelation. His wolf was right. His body itched to claim Jackson and make sure there was nobody else in the entire world who could look at him again. The first step was to marry him and now he had to make him his mate, as an Alpha. It had to be clear to the world that Jackson was his and only his, off limits, claimed, his, totally, completely and forever. His wolf grunted pleasantly at his thoughts.

_“Of course, Yi. He’s yours. No need to get riled up. Nobody’s after him…”_

Mark huffed at his wolf’s teasing tone and crossed his arms over his chest. He tapped his foot as they waited for Jackson patiently. He had no idea what Jackson was up to but he was not someone who liked to wait.

After about ten whole minutes of waiting, Jinyoung made his way towards them nervously. He didn’t look up at them directly. The betas snickered at his behaviour and nudged Joey and Jaebeom. Jaebeom stared at the omega from head to toe. The black suit that he was wearing nicely clung to his body. He was well built and robust, his shoulders were wide and his stance erect. He was a proud wolf, it was easy to tell. But his face was gentle and humane. He had high cheekbones, his jawline was sharp and his nose beautifully straight. But what seemed to do the trick for Jaebeom, were his lips. They were so full and red. They also looked incredibly soft and inviting, so much that Jaebeom wanted to go ahead and touch them, may be caress them with his tongue.

“Ewwww,” the betas groaned as they sensed Jaebeom’s body stiffen, arousal setting in faster than he had ever anticipated. Jaebeom closed his eyes and willed himself to calm down. It wasn’t easy for an un-bonded Alpha to calm himself down in the presence of an un-bonded omega.

Both he and Joey looked away as Jinyoung finally stood in front of Mark. He seemed to sense the change in their scents, instantly blushing furiously.

“I…Jackson has…” it was difficult to speak because the Alpha scents around him were making his body tremble. The betas sensed his difficulty.

Youngjae stepped forward and pulled him away, crowding him so the mix of his base neutral scent would calm him down.

“B-beta…Jackson wants to walk with one of you…he’s too shy to walk with all of you at once…if…if-” he shook his head to clear his mind and breathed through his mouth.

“If Alpha hauls him up again…he’s too shy for that right now…can you walk him to the spot? I am not allowed to be there so…” he asked softly, without meeting Youngjae’s eyes. The beta’s eyes softened. Jackson wanted their help. He was ready to do anything for their omega.

“Sure thing. I will send Alpha and the rest of the pack ahead. I will walk him myself. Don’t worry, pretty omega,” Youngjae said gently, without even realizing that he had complimented Jinyoung. Jinyoung giggled at that and nodded.

“We will see you later, yeah?” Youngjae asked softly and the omega nodded shyly before rushing inside.

Youngjae returned to the pack. They had already heard the conversation so they nodded.

“I will walk him to the clearing. Go on ahead.”

The pack started moving towards the woods and Youngjae waited by the mansion patiently. Jackson walked down with Jinyoung, holding onto the back of his jacket as if his life depended on it. Youngjae could smell the nervousness on him but his enticing scent was stronger. It made him smile warmly. Jackson’s presence made his heart happy.

When Jackson stood in front of him, holding his robe close to his chest, his body jerked with an intense need to protect the omega. This was new and caused him to shuffle back. Mark’s vows to Jackson were binding for the whole pack. If Mark swore to protect Jackson, it meant the whole pack would do the same.

“Are you okay?” he asked immediately and Jackson nodded quickly.

“You should go now…” Jinyoung urged before more questions were asked.

Jackson and Youngjae started walking towards the woods. Jackson stopped short and turned around. He stared at Jinyoung with mixed emotions and felt his lip tremble. He rushed to hug the man. Jinyoung buried his nose in Jackson’s neck and smelled him greedily. This was the last time Jackson would smell the way he did. After the bite, there was no knowing what he would smell like. For wolves, scents were associated with identity and it was really sensitive for omegas. Their scents were revealing of their emotions, their status and their purity.

“Will miss you, love you, will miss you,” Jinyoung muttered again and again against Jackson’s neck making the boy whimper.

“Me too. Wait for me, don’t go anywhere. Love you so much, Nyoung-ah,” he whispered.

They parted and wiped at their eyes before Jinyoung turned around abruptly and sprinted towards the tent without turning back.

Youngjae had noticed how much Jackson depended on Jinyoung. He had heard a lot about how omegas bonded with one another. Their energies seemed to complement each other and they were really warm and caring about one another. The dependence was really not surprising because Youngjae could sense how well they harmonized with each other. He felt bad for Jackson. He would have to part with his best friend like this due to the marriage.

“I will make sure Mr Jinyoung gets a free pass to come to the estate whenever he wants to. Don’t worry, Jackson. We won’t let him be away from you if he means so much to you,” he muttered as they started walking towards the woods.

“R-really?” Jackson croaked. Youngjae nodded, making Jackson hug his arm in happiness. It was really so easy to please this man. Mark was really lucky to have such a sweet person as his mate, Youngjae thought.

“Oh, so the robe is open on the front like this? Ah that’s why you wore a choker? To not show skin?” Youngjae could see how conscious Jackson was about it. The omega nodded shyly.

“Bam needs to have some self-control with his fashion sense. Although I quite enjoy his outrageously racy wardrobe.”

Jackson giggled at that. So the pups enjoyed being each other’s mates.

They walked in silence after that. Jackson still clung to the beta’s arm, rubbing his cheek against it from time to time. Youngjae loved it. There was no way he wouldn’t.

“Did it…did it hurt a lot when you got your bite?” Jackson asked softly and held his arm tighter.

Youngjae tried to remember the time Mark had given him the bite. There was no fanfare about betas receiving their Alpha bite because it wasn’t a mate bite. Betas didn’t get their bites on the neck like omegas, they got it on their bicep. It signified that their strength belonged to their Alpha.

Betas had neutral base scents before being claimed by an Alpha. Their Alpha’s scent lingered on their bodies once they were claimed, but not as strongly as on an omega. Betas craved for their Alpha’s scent so the Alpha had to scent them frequently.

They were mostly the first to reply to their Alpha’s call because they were the most pliant after omegas. An un-bonded beta could be really easy to kill, especially by other super natural beings. That’s why most betas joined a pack at a young age. They had no heat cycles or ruts but were sexually extremely active. They were also the only kind of wolves who could hide their sex life from the world. It made Youngjae laugh inside his head how betas were compared to humans. If only people knew what betas were capable of…

“Beta?” Jackson asked again and Youngjae shook his head.

“R-really?”

“Yes. When an Alpha gives you a bite willingly, it doesn’t hurt much. But Mark’s a true Alpha so it might hurt a little more than usual. Yugyeom will soothe you immediately though. Don’t worry. It will only hurt for a few minutes. You will start healing immediately. We will help you.”

Jackson couldn’t tell Youngjae about his Prime nature yet. He could handle a thousand Alpha bites if he wanted to. But seeing how Youngjae was assuring him made him feel touched and warm.

They suddenly heard a low, angry howl. Both of them cowered a bit. Jackson stopped in his tracks and held onto Youngjae’s body in fear.

“He’s been waiting for long. He doesn’t like to wait. Let’s hurry,” Youngjae tugged at his wrist and they sprinted towards the opening faster. This was the same spot where Mark had first brought Jackson to discuss their marriage date.

Mark was standing beside a round, wooden stool, basking in the moonlight. He looked powerful and ethereal at the same time. Jackson gulped, instantly hiding behind Youngjae the moment he spotted the Alpha.

Youngjae smiled at Mark and the others as they sensed Jackson’s nervousness.

“Jackson, don’t worry. It’s not going to hurt…” Jackson bunched at his coat even tighter.

“Need you guys to leave us alone…” Mark said just then, surprising everyone. Tradition dictated that they all had to be present when Mark administered the bite.

“But-”

“Just do it. I will call upon you the moment I do it. I don’t think I can do it while you guys stare at me…and BamBam thinks of 20 dirty things while I do it…”

The beta giggled at that. Mark knew him so well.

Joey fidgeted in his spot. “Yi En, if the elders find out…”

“Look, I am just asking for some privacy. How about you close our link completely and just…just stay out of earshot for like ten minutes? Why do I have to beg for this?” he snapped and Joey flinched at the tone.

Jackson’s grip on Youngjae’s coat had become deadly.

“Alright. He’s getting even more nervous. This isn’t good. Let’s just do as the Alpha says. We don’t have much time. Another half an hour before he will be branded. We have to give him time to heal enough to take the branding…let’s go, you guys. He will call us…” Youngjae insisted and turned around to face Jackson. The boy hid in his chest and Youngjae laughed softly.

“It’s alright, my sweet. Just a few minutes.” He patted the boy’s head affectionately and felt him relax a bit. They separated and Youngjae joined the other boys to walk away from the couple.

Once Mark and Jackson were left alone, tension spiked. Mark continued to stare at Jackson and the heaviness of his gaze made Jackson shift uncomfortably in his spot. He pulled at his robe closer so he could hide himself better. Mark sat on the stool and sighed. He was going to bite Jackson and make him his. Maybe then his body would calm the fuck down. Maybe touching Jackson intimately was going to let him survive this night. Probably, his fingertips would stop feeling tingly once Jackson got in his lap. Maybe he could savor the taste of his skin, touch him where he had never been touched before, lap at his neck till he felt dizzy. Oh Mark was beyond turned on as all his thoughts were graphically shown to him by his wolf. Mark wanted Jackson and he was going to have him, now and forever.

“Jackson. Come.”

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mr and Mr Wolf are gonna be doing it dirty in the middle of the forest? what do you think? leave me commentssssss <3 did you like the little jjp interaction? whew. you guys have no idea what you have signed up for with following this story.  
> The wolves dont talk much during these chapters because the wedding invokes a more human response since wolves are bonded with magic and have zero need to glorify their bond. But the human half requires this kind of bond in front of the family.  
> As the families bond together in support of the couple, this support, love and magic strengthens the couple's bond and this is what starts getting Mark closer to Jackson, more than he wants to be, more than he needs to be for his motifs. If you need more info, just comment. It's too late in the night here so I am gonna crash. I hope you liked these wedding chapters. I hope i didnt mess with your expectations.  
> PS Mark is not a bad guy. He's a jelly bean worried about his Bay and other wolves.  
> i love you <3  
> xoxo


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jackson is claimed and branded. Mark is a bond-high mess of mushiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know i did y'all dirty the last time :P i am not guilty though. This is not a very long chapter. I didnt get too much into details like i usually do because then it would have taken me 10 years to complete this wedding sequence. lol. i hope you enjoy this chapter. I want to thank all of you for your amazing comments. not many are reading this fic but those of you who wait for my updates are really special to me. thank you for supporting me and waiting for me.

Mark’s voice was levelled but extremely demanding and authoritative. It sent a cold shiver down Jackson’s spine. He dared to look at the Alpha and felt his knees tremble. The man’s legs were spread open, his thighs looked broad and firm as his pants hugged them tight.

Their eyes met and Mark smirked.

Jackson could never get used to this behavior. This was so unlike the Mark that he knew, definitely different but desirable.

Mark patted his thigh with one hand while gesturing him to come close with the other.

“We don’t have much time,” he called out.

Jackson moved towards him, his heart in his mouth, blood thrumming nervously under his skin, his wolf senses on an all-time high, feeling a rush like he was about to hit his heat, a low, mysterious energy magnetically pulling him towards his mate.

It was Mark’s turn to lose his breath as he stared at Jackson holding his robe close to his body and taking small steps towards him. A sliver of skin on his chest was still not completely hidden. It made Mark’s whole being burn with need, human and wolf.

He closed his eyes, tingling in anticipation of touching Jackson.

_“Slow down, Yi.”_

“I cannot, Boo. What is happening to me?”

_“It’s your bond. It’s controlling you like this. You cannot know how your magic will evolve once you are bonded to him after the bite. You are too strong as it is.”_

“I want to touch him, rip his clothes off and just…just be inside him, claim him, I feel like I am losing my senses to these desires, Boo. Help me.”

_“Give in to these desires.”_

“But-”

_“Be a wolf worthy of a loving omega…lose your barriers…you deserve this…he deserves this.”_

Mark opened his eyes and found Jackson standing in front of him, flushed and bothered.

Mark slowly grabbed his wrists. They were tight against his chest while his fingers bunched the robe. The touch was like sparks, making them both stiffen. Mark’s grip tightened and a sound escaped Jackson, much against his will.

“Let go of it,” Mark whispered.

It was a command. It wasn’t a request but a command. It wasn’t strict but it was demanding. No omega was ever able to reject his Alpha, be it for pleasure or for his life. Jackson was just an ordinary omega in that moment.

Slowly, Jackson loosened his grip on the robe and Mark tugged his wrists away from his body. The robe fell in place, its fabric sticking to Jackson’s body easily. His chest, however, was not fully covered. The silk barely hid his pecs.

Mark’s breathing hitched. Fire erupted at the pit of his stomach and his throat went dry. Would this ever get old? Was this insatiable need that had aroused in him due to this bond that they would form today? Why was it so intense? Why was it driving his ever-in-control personality into utter chaos?

“Is this why you wore the choker?” Mark grumbled lowly before pulling him closer so his stomach was right in front of his face. The omega’s hands started to fidget but Mark held on tightly.

“Sit. Now.”

Mark pulled his own legs closer and Jackson slowly sat in his lap, both his legs resting on Mark’s left thigh and his face looking sideways. His profile was perfect, as if carved by the Gods. Mark couldn’t believe how perfect the boy looked from every angle.

But his body wasn’t relaxed. His legs were pulled tightly together and his hands were gripping his knees. He stared at his own feet nervously.

“Come closer, omega.”

Mark grabbed at his waist with intent, both his arms coming to wrap around his torso, pulling his body closer until his nose brushed Jackson’s cheek. Jackson shuddered, a weird noise bubbled out of his chest.

“The way you smell…Holy Bay, come on,” Mark manhandled him so that Jackson’s legs were wrapped around his hip. The sultry tone made Jackson feel attacked and bothered and the position wasn’t helping one bit.

“My robe, why are you-” he screeched before trying to pull the cloth to cover his legs properly, leading to a tussle.

“I will rip it off if you fidget too much.” Mark growled. Jackson hiccupped, letting go immediately. He had barely managed to cover his knees.

Mark stared at his face, his full lips and his chin. His honey skin looked so touchable that he felt completely helpless. He wanted to litter every inch of it with marks and kisses, touch him everywhere. Make him moan in ecstasy. Lodge himself deep inside his tight heat and thrust his hips so fast that Jackson forgot how to breathe. He shifted uncomfortably as his pants could no longer adjust him.

Jackson gulped, making his Adam’s apple bob. Mark stared at how translucent and soft his skin looked, how his collar bone glistened in the moonlight, diamonds shining on it.

Mark lightly touched the half-moon necklace that he had bought Jackson before the wedding. The boy shivered involuntarily as Mark’s fingertips brushed his collar bone. The moan that followed could only be described as helplessly lustful.

Mark immediately nuzzled in his neck and growled threateningly low. He started licking quick stripes on his skin, the wetness of his tongue made Jackson spill eager noises. His neck felt particularly sensitive tonight and though he knew what to expect, Mark’s aggression was making him feel all kinds of sinful things.

“Ahhhh!” he groaned as Mark’s teeth tugged at his ear lobe.

“How did you come looking like this today…so damn seductive,” Mark murmured and Jackson felt his body heat up. “You wanted to tempt me hmm?”

Mark’s hands had hastily come to remove the belt that held Jackson’s robe together on his lower waist.

“Let me see what’s under your robe.”

He bounced the omega on his lap as it became hard to control himself, his cock throbbing painfully inside his pants.

Jackson fought with Mark’s nimble fingers, almost gasping with fear of falling off due to the tussle. “The…branding ceremony…you have to just wait a little more…we can’t-”

Mark whined against his neck before pulling him closer by the waist so they were effectively hugging.

“But…I can’t stop. Do you not understand? I have never been…like this before…with anyone. I need to-”

Jackson felt his heart jerk in his chest. Mark would never be like this with him after today. Jackson knew it perfectly well that the impending need in Alphas to mark and claim their omegas was highest after marriage. Righteous Alphas basked in the permissions provided to them after the wedding ceremony. They loved to claim what was rightfully theirs, they took keen interest in making the whole world know how their omegas belonged only to them. It was inherent wolf nature to be blinded by the need to claim. It was so strong that it had slowly seeped into their human conscious over the years. Backed by both the human and wolf personalities, the need to claim would turn twice as urgent. Mark was under a spell. He desired him. Jackson wanted to hold onto this moment for as long as he could but he was just unlucky that they had to rush back.

With a sudden spike in his confidence and a greedy emotional need, Jackson combed his fingers through Mark’s hair. If Mark wanted him, desired him and needed him, he was going to reciprocate to the best of his ability, in what little time they had.

Mark hummed pleasantly. They stayed in each other’s embrace, letting their scents linger in the air strongly, entwining and becoming one. Jackson felt a new warmth curl around his heart. This was Mark’s wolf and his aura. It would always remain with him forever after he got the bite.

“Sorry…we don’t have enough time…the pack is waiting…everyone is-”

“When will you start caring about what I need?” Mark complained in a hushed whisper, his irritation apparent through his possessive hold around Jackson’s waist.

Jackson had no answer but the question and its implication made his heart flutter.

Mark’s hands slowly roamed Jackson’s thighs, making the boy go blank and shiver. The thin silk wasn’t leaving much to imagination. Mark breathed on the delicate skin of his neck. The way their bodies touched each other’s, it felt intimate and arousing, tickling Jackson’s fancy just right. He had had countless dreams about getting his mate bite. It was the most precious moment in an omega’s life. In his fantasy, his mate would always whisper sweet nothings into his ear and kiss his sweetly, tell him how he loved him and wanted to make him his forever. Jackson knew his dream would not come true but he wanted to be close to Mark no matter what, at least for this moment. He wanted Mark to want him.

“Shouldn’t I be the only one you think about today?”

Mark’s question got Jackson out of his reverie. Jackson’s body was rigid, the sensation of Mark’s touch sending shockwaves of need through him.

The Alpha’s hands wandered to Jackson’s back and then his arms, where they pressed at his biceps. He slightly tugged at the robe so Jackson’s left shoulder blade was bare. He dived in to sniff it to his heart’s content and lick at it without any restraint. He smelled holy, like a sumptuous meal would to a hungry wolf. And a wolf was always hungry…

Jackson’s grip on Mark loosened, giving him more room and access to his neck, as he threw his head back. He couldn’t stop moaning.

“You will always be the one I think about, my Alpha.” He managed to whisper between his whimpers.

Mark kissed his neck with a renewed vigor due to his words.

“I like the sound of that.”

Mark pulled at the robe more, effectively exposing Jackson’s torso to the moonlight. Jackson’s arms immediately came up to cover himself, his thighs clenching together due to nervousness.

Mark forcibly moved his hands away, making the omega yelp at the force.

“Don’t hide.” Mark nudged the skin of his shoulder blade with the tip of his nose, planting kisses across the expanse of his shoulder.

Jackson desperately wanted to cover himself up. He had never been allowed to be like this in front of an Alpha. Even if it was Mark, he still couldn’t get used to the idea of baring himself like this.

“This is so attractive. How can it be this attractive? Will you show it to me every day?”

Jackson had no idea where Mark was looking. He wasn’t brave enough to check. What did Mark mean? He had no idea of knowing.

“What are you talking ab-”

Mark flicked his nipple and Jackson almost jumped off of his lap, moaning so loudly that Mark felt his cock jerk. He growled, pulled Jackson in place, pushing his arms behind.

Jackson’s wrists were gripped tightly on his back, twisted in a painful angle. Mark darted his tongue out and wet his nipple in a slow circular motion. Then his tongue was flat against Jackson’s sensitive skin, moving it like he was licking ice cream from a cone.

“Al-phaaa…” Jackson almost cried at the sensation. It was like reliving the way Mark had scented him. It made him feel breathless and the weirdness he felt in a very private place, sent him into a near choking situation.

“I will-” Mark sucked on the nub with a very disturbing noise, “do this-” he sucked again, “every fucking day,” before biting it gently.

Jackson made a very embarrassed noise and struggled with Mark’s hands. Once free, he attacked the Alpha with a quick hit across his arm out of embarrassment. This wasn’t the time or place for Mark to do this. His face was burning with shyness and Mark’s words resonating in his head. Alphas really had no self-control. This was too much for Jackson to take.

Mark dumbly licked at his lips and moaned. His eyes were hooded and his smile looked dazed. It was like he was under a trance.

“Jackson…”

Jackson covered his chest with his arms and looked away.

“Jackson…let me-”

“You need to give me the bite. We don’t have much time.”

Mark continued to stare at Jackson’s face that was red like a tomato. His whole body seemed like it was on fire. The heat seemed to travel through his silk robe to Mark’s suit pants. Mark knew it was time.

“Alright. Come here, my omega.” Mark pulled him closer again, biting his lip and breathing heavily.

“Tonight, I claim you as mine under the pure moonlight.”

Jackson’s wolf howled loudly inside his head. Mark’s words were like magic to the bond between the wolves.

Mark opened his mouth wide, his teeth shined brightly in the light of the moon. Their sharpness could scare anybody, tear the toughest skin and rip out a good chunk of meat in a go. They sunk in the juncture where Jackson’s neck met his shoulder blade and drew blood.

Mark’s wolf took hold of his body and his mind, the red of his eyes almost too dangerous and vivid. He saw Jackson’s memories, him smiling in a cradle, crawling towards a fireplace, burning his hand but gurgling back to his mother happily. Infant Jackson eating rice cakes, toddler Jackson running around excitedly, teenager Jackson yelling ‘Alphas are mean’ before getting ready to go to the Academy, adult Jackson clutching his stomach and crying for relief, Jackson throwing pebbles in a slow stream of water and finally staring into red eyes of a big brown wolf…

Jackson let out a blood curdling cry as Mark’s teeth sunk into him, puncturing layers of his skin. Warm blood oozed out from the wound and rolled down his chest and back fast. His conscious went blank, like his whole life was in a darkness he couldn’t describe. His mind felt empty, devoid of any memories. But Mark’s presence was strong and assuring around him. He could feel the Alpha’s warmth, his raging power and hunger. Jackson was complete, his skin was broken, but he was complete.

Mark’s link to his pack had immediately resumed. The pack returned quietly enough not to spook Jackson out.

Mark licked at the wound, mouthing it with intent, slurping on the blood that oozed out from it. Jackson felt exhausted and the feeling of pain started to settle in his upper body. He felt like he had been snatched off of half his energy, like he was just an empty vessel and his wolf had left his body. It was scary but fulfilling. He felt a strange energy run under his skin, a stronger, dominant energy that clawed at his heart, almost squeezed it to show him that it owned him.

His fingers in Mark’s hair tightened their hold. Mark pulled him closer so their crotches were clearly in contact. The hardness that Jackson felt against himself made him groan loudly, not caring one bit about the other wolves standing right behind them.

 _“My beloved, let me knot you, let me see every part of you, let me taste you,”_ Mark muttered as he continued to lap at the wound and Jackson cried. He moved slightly against Mark’s straining erection and the friction made him lose his mind. But then the pain started making it difficult to stay in Mark’s arms. It was horrific, all consuming. His body started to jerk, his stomach twisting at the smell of his own blood. His fingers itched, claws almost coming out but then receding. His eyes kept on closing and opening on their own, the surroundings suddenly felt too colorful, the scents around him heightened.

 _“Spread your legs for me,”_ Mark pressed at his sides and Jackson’s body thrummed to obey the words because the energy inside him that was controlling him wasn’t his anymore. He could hear angry grunts behind him but he couldn’t turn around.

Then something strange started happening. He could smell the salty water of the bay, listen to water moving slowly, he could feel its energy rising and falling, like a heartbeat. His eardrums vibrated at the waves of magic the Bay was sending into the atmosphere. He could see where the Bay ended and the ocean started. He could exactly see where its shield ended and the little hole in the shield. The Bay, like an entity, like a wolf, cried in pain at the breach.

Jackson smelled the poison at its core. His body started to jerk as the smell intensified, the black of the poison making his vision blurry and the smell of rotten, rancid meat making him push Mark away. Mark’s teeth had brushed against the bite wound because of the push. Jackson whimpered and thrashed around as if in self-defense.

It hurt, it hurt more than he could ever imagine it would. The Bay was making him feel its pain. His wolf howled loudly, repeatedly, to be able to bear it. The green fumes of power that Feray had first showed him, seemed to have become fiercer, almost enveloping his wolf entirely in them, making him float up in the air. Jackson didn’t know what was happening. He could still feel Mark sucking on his wound like a leech. His erection was still rock hard against his, his arms were tightly wound around him with devious intent.

“Stop…stop…it hurts…hurts, Mark…” Jackson’s human half was still bearing the pain that his wolf was going through, as the Bay made him feel all that it was feeling. On the other hand, Mark suckling the wound was making Feray feel the pain Jackson was going through. Their barrier had vanished completely. They could feel everything the other was feeling, it got intensified because they became one.

It was too much pain to handle. There was no doubt that they could handle it, but the time period in which it had to be handled was not in their favor. Feray needed time to overcome the pain, to ready Jackson’s body and psyche to deal with it. Mark wasn’t giving it to him. Esmeray couldn’t control Mark’s human side, not when he himself was so tempted by the prospect of mating. Jackson whimpered, his back arching backwards, head slumping helplessly as Mark became even more aggressive. The red in Mark’s eyes shined brighter and brighter, his fingers rubbed at the base of Jackson’s spine, dangerously moving downwards.

“MARK! Snap out of it,” Joey yelled. But Mark continued to mouth at Jackson’s neck, his hands wildly grabbing Jackson’s hips and erratically thrusting against him.

The pack grunted. The smell of Jackson’s blood had already riled them up and Mark not snapping out of the trance was creating issues with their bond. Jackson was clearly in pain and was trying really hard to get out of Mark’s vice.

Jackson’s pain became unbearable for the pack to see. It shook their very core. Every muscle in their body was dying to stop the pain that he was experiencing. It was like, waves of pain were erupting from his body and covering them all in it.

Unable to hold himself in, Joey howled loudly, so much that Jackson felt goosebumps erupt on his body. Jaebeom quickly followed before the betas joined in. They howled and howled and howled in desperation, pain and frustration at not being able to fight Mark away from Jackson.

Mark stuttered at the howls of his pack, his hands coming to hold Jackson close. He breathed heavily as he stared at the wolves before him. The red of his eyes was so bright that the wolves got on their knees, whining, grunting for him to come comfort them. They wanted Mark, his scent, his presence to ease their fear of not being able to save Jackson. It was a big mix of so many emotions, their love for Mark, love for Jackson, need to protect Jackson without hurting Mark, the hunger to smell them both at once, finding a release for their frustration, the effect of Mark’s deep arousal on their bodies making them feel weird and helpless. It was a big blob of nervous energy that Mark could hear from their howls, their changing scents, their childlike need to have him close. Mark pushed Jackson off his lap, not caring about who he was, what he meant and why he was on his lap in the first place. It made him lose his balance and crash on his knees against the cold, muddy ground.

Mark was his pack’s Alpha. They were bound to him in a way nobody else was. But what was this energy inside him, what was this incompleteness that took over him the moment he stood up. Why was he feeling so weak and distraught? Why did he feel helpless and powerless? Why could he smell the salty scent of the Bay? It was like he was in a trance and all he could feel was a numbing pain in his body. Was it because of his arousal or was it because of this feeling of helplessness in his heart, he didn’t know. He just knew that he needed his pack, so he slowly moved towards them. His movements were strained so the pack rushed to him. The betas hurriedly tugged at his suit, removing the jacket, tearing his dress shirt in a hurry before squabbling to sniff him. They hugged him, held him, kissed his neck, his face, held his hands and whined in pain…until…they heard a loud sob from Jackson. They stopped, almost like they were paralyzed. Their bodies jerked in pain as they heard him whimper.

“Omega, our omega,” Youngjae groaned in pain. Yugyeom rushed towards Jackson and held him close, making him nuzzle in his own neck. “Heal, love,” he muttered as he adjusted Jackson’s robe and covered him properly. Jackson’s head was pounding and he found it hard to communicate with his wolf. The enchanting smell of the wolf who was holding him made him want it more and more even if he was in pain. He hugged Yugyeom back hard and the boy happily obliged, letting Jackson lull on his shoulder into a slumber.

Mark had collapsed in front of Joey, who had quickly embraced him. It was uncommon for an Alpha to be affected by a bite like this. He didn’t understand what was happening.

Mark muttered intelligible things against his shoulder and the pack hugged him close because they were all worried.

Both Mark and Jackson lulled into a slumber and the pack looked on at each other in confusion.

* * *

 

 

The pack had escorted both Jackson and Mark back to the mansion. Everyone had gotten worried after hearing Jackson’s pained cry. Mark’s increased Alpha energy had made all the Tuans restless and alert.

Mark and Jackson were in a deep sleep of some kind. The celebrations had instantly stopped. This never happened. Mate bite was a sacred ritual. It made both the Alpha and the omega extremely happy. Yes, it drained energy in both of them but the sheer happiness that they felt after it, made them gain their energy back. What was wrong with them?

Mr Wang stared at the couple with a heavy heart. He couldn’t tell the Tuans that Jackson was a Prime. A Prime’s energy was so immense that an Alpha had to give his all to penetrate it. He had to work extra hard in bonding with the omega wolf’s conscious and his human half. Because the Prime wolf had volatile energy, it was hard to find the correct balance for the Alpha wolf and seek control.

“Mom, why isn’t he waking up?” Jinyoung asked his mother, frustrated.

“Jinyoungie, it’s common for omegas to lose consciousness after a bite.”

“But Jackson’s so strong,” Jinyoung pouted and looked around, somehow catching Jaebeom’s gaze all of a sudden.

Jaebeom’s mouth hung open for some reason and then snapped close. He looked away immediately. Jinyoung had never seen a man so weird.

As the moon was about to change it’s phase, Jackson woke up, groaning in pain and calling for his mother. Yugyeom kissed his temple and slowly moved his head on the couch from his lap. Jinyoung looked at him relieved, a lot of emotions flashing on his face instantly. Jaebeom thought that Jinyoung looked like a clown. Jackson smiled up at Jinyoung, making the younger smile back. Jaebeom felt his chest tighten for some reason as he stared at Jinyoung’s smiling face. Jaebeom was so annoyed with his creepy clown-like smile, he really was.

Mrs Wang rushed to Jackson and cradled his head in her lap, whispering sweet things to him. Everybody seemed to relax a bit, especially the Wangs. They were all worried about Jackson’s nature even more. They didn’t know how a Prime would react after the bite. They surely hadn’t expected Jackson to go to sleep. Knowing that he was alright was a big relief.

Jackson had been covered with a comforter, mostly to keep his body from showing. He was really thankful for that. His neck was sore and hurting but not as much as before. The pack’s proximity relaxed him a great deal. He didn’t remember much about what had happened after the bite. His wolf assured him that they could talk about it later. He suddenly realized that he was no longer in pain. His wolf giggled inside his head and a smile crept over his face. Wrapping the comforter around himself, his got up, excited and full of energy. Of course, he could clearly feel Mark’s hold on him now. It was the most beautiful feeling in the world, making him smile ear to ear. But where was his Alpha?

“Ma?” he looked at his mother and she gestured towards the other side of the room. Mark was surrounded by his relatives, sleeping tight, without a care in the world. Jackson could now sense Mark’s wolf resting inside him, exhausted but fulfilled. Everything came rushing back to him and his face instantly gained color, making him grip the comforter tightly.

“Is he going to be alright?” he asked Jaebeom after composing himself.

“Yes. He just…well…doesn’t usually happen but I think the bite took a toll on him for some reason. That and this is the first time he started forming a knot with an intent to mate-”

“Aaaahhhh, Alphaaaaa,” Jackson complained as Jaebeom whispered to him the information. Everybody around laughed, easily able to decipher the reason for Jackson’s whining.

“Are you alright?” Jaebeom asked softly, dressing the stray hair on his forehead. Jackson nodded and smiled childishly, making Jaebeom’s heart hurt with love. How could someone be this adorable?

“Let us get you branded before we miss this phase. Let this old man sleep,” Mr Tuan pointed at Mark and snorted.

“But-”

“Only the elders need to be present. It’s okay if he isn’t.”

“But you just called him an old man, which technically makes him an elder, father,” BamBam stated coolly and everyone hollered. The commotion seemed to stir Mark awake. He groaned, stretching his arms around lazily and drawing everyone’s attention.

“Youngjae-ah, come,” he rasped, making Jackson’s body shudder at the quality of his voice.

Youngjae snorted at his Alpha’s childishness but made his way towards the man quickly. Mark ran his fingers through the boy’s hair and hummed, as if forgetting where he was.

“How are you so pretty?” he mumbled before pulling him closer and smelling his hair, smiling at how the boy smelled like warm honey and jasmines. It was like the world was invisible to Mark. Everyone around looked at them, amused at the Alpha’s antics. He continued to hold his beta close, embarrassing him with the cooing sounds and embarrassing pet names.

“My sweet, sweet, puppy. Look how soft your hair is. Jae-ah, my sweet pudding,” he muttered and kissed the boy’s cheeks. That’s where Youngjae drew the line.

“Aaaaaaa! What are you doing??” he screeched, embarrassed, pushing Mark away hurriedly and standing up. The Alpha was always affectionate to the betas but never so openly, not in front of the extended family and whole of Jackson’s family! What were they going to think now? That the mighty Blue Light Pack was like this? That their Alpha had no social sense and was a dumbass? It was so embarrassing. He could clearly hear two betas snickering behind him.

Jackson giggled. What was up with the cold mountain acting so warm and affectionate?

The sound of Jackson’s laugh made Mark bolt up in his spot. He stared at everyone around him, his memories rushing back to him like a flood. His face changed color fast. He stood up and bowed to the elders of his family, apologizing repeatedly for passing out and tainting their ‘pure Alpha blood’ capabilities. Everyone laughed. Mark had zero confidence to look at Jackson in that moment. Wow, his heart was already weak for the boy. Was this spell ever going to wear off? Mark had no time to think as everyone started filing out.

Jackson was ushered into the backyard where a small space was left for the branding ceremony. The pack symbol branding rod with a wolf walking on the water was being heated in a furnace. It looked small, intricate and old. The handle was made of gold while the end was made of iron. It was said that a wolf took a branding well only when he wanted to take it. The will of a wolf to be true to his pack made the wound shine, never healing out of sheer love and dedication. If a wolf didn’t will to take a branding, the brand would heal and disappear, the blood bond weakening immediately. All his Alpha’s calls would never be heard by him. It was a sign of a weak will and disloyalty.

During conflicts, a pack symbol could only be dissolved by the blood of a victorious Alpha. The winning Alpha’s blood would dominate the pack bond, weakening it and eventually breaking it with his magic. Pack symbols were magical and made it easy for a pack Alpha to call on his pack. All he had to do was touch it with intent. Some preferred rubbing it or kissing it while some preferred scratching it or sniffing it. It all depended on the pack Alpha. It was said that the addition of the first omega always increased the magic of the pack symbol. Mark had no idea how Jackson’s entry into the pack would impact their powers. But if Jackson had put him to sleep due to the bite, he had no knowing what he could do for the pack.

“Where do you want it?” Mark’s father asked Jackson softly.

Jackson hesitated. It was imperative that the symbol be branded somewhere where it would be visible at all times. However, omegas had a choice to choose where they wanted it.

“Go on, tell me. I promise I won’t be mad.”

“He just needs to take it on his arm somewhere,” one of Mark’s aunts spoke up, making Jackson cower even more. Mark immediately went and stood beside him. Jackson looked away, embarrassed.

“I am not scolding him, Mark.” The aunt assured, amused by Mark’s behavior.

“Inside of my wrist, father, elder Alphas? Would you allow that?” Jackson asked without looking up.

The Wangs instantly fell silent. They knew that old families like the Tuans followed traditions to the book. If Jackson’s request was out of line, he would now get reprimanded in front of all of them.

Mark’s father went deep in thought. The branding rod was hot enough. It was red due to the heat.

“Why there, son?” he asked after enough deliberation.

Jackson’s face gained color. He hadn’t realized that he would be asked the reason.

“Convince me why I should break tradition for you, son,” Mark’s father pushed.

Jinyoung made his way towards Jackson, communicating with Jackson’s wolf easily. But Mark immediately turned around and raised his eyebrows. Who the hell was Prince?

Jinyoung seemed to have sensed that Mark was now connected to Jackson’s wolf. He immediately grimaced. He clearly heard Jaebeom, Joey and the betas click their tongue at his arrogance. Not only was Mark connected to Jackson’s wolf but so was everyone else.

“Mr Jinyoung, step away,” Jaebeom whispered menacingly at Jinyoung. “Your wolf is so noisy, God,” he complained before trying to pull him away.

Jinyoung just squeezed Jackson’s shoulder to reassure him. The touch seemed to relax the boy’s shoulders immediately. Mark frowned but chose not to react any more than that, given the situation. Jaebeom finally pulled the boy away, but not without losing his breath a bit at how the omega smelled. Hyun Sik immediately escorted the boy away.

“I want to look at it a lot. More than it being for the world to know that I am a bonded omega, I want it to be for me. I want to realize every day that I have a pack, a family. Every time my Alpha holds my hand, he will touch my pack symbol, same goes for my pack mates. Their touch will strengthen our bond and my symbol’s magic. That is why I want it here, father. I want it as a sign of their love and not just a crest.” Jackson finished.

Everybody started whispering amongst themselves. Jackson’s parents stared at each other. When had Jackson given this so much thought? They didn’t know. They were proud that he had his heart in the right place. They had raised a beautiful boy. But would the Tuans accept it? They looked deep in discussion over breaking tradition.

Meanwhile, Mark froze at Jackson’s words. Did Jackson really feel so connected to the pack already? Did he love them all so much already? They had just gotten bonded but the boy had already devoted himself to them completely. _Cute._

Jackson blushed. The link between them was too strong because of the freshly formed bond. It would ease over time and be easy to control but right now, he could clearly sense what Mark was feeling.

“Alright. You convinced me, kid.” Mark’s father smiled after their discussions ended. “Pack, stand by him. Jackson, this may hurt a lot.”

He removed the branding rod from the furnace and pointed it towards the moon. He then grabbed Jackson’s right arm and turned it around.

“My blessings to you, my son. Welcome to the Blue Light Pack. Live for our honor and die for our honor.”

He pressed the burning hot rod onto the inside of Jackson’s wrist with force. Jackson screamed in agony, tears streaming down his eyes. Mark’s chest constricted as he felt Jackson’s body convulse in pain. But what was the bubbly feeling surfacing through his pain? Why could he see Jackson smiling inside his head? Was he…happy?

“All done. Mark…” Mark’s father called out to him. Mark nodded. He punctured his finger with his teeth and smeared Jackson’s wound with his blood. The moment he did that, he felt power surge inside him. The betas moved in their spot, Jaebeom and Joey heaved as their eyes turned red. They howled into the night, one after another, ferociously until Mark joined them. Jackson was theirs and they were Jackson’s. This was just the beginning.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? How long will Mark's bond high last? How will he behave once he remembers feeling the Bay's pain? Leave me commentssssss
> 
> PS how about the JJP tease. It's happening soon. i mean after a million words XD 
> 
> I am going for 100000 words, at least. You can escape now, if you want. XD
> 
> xoxo


	11. 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark and Jackson's wedding night, more like, weird wedding night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here goes to nothing! I have written this over a period of three weeks, taking n number of breaks in between, battling a bad fever and cough. It's so long and could become really boring omg :( could be the most boring chapter of the series tbh. I am still sick so I haven't reread this chapter. If there are any mistakes, please ignore. Some parts of the chapter are really embarassing since I am so bad at writing anything remotely romantic or intimate :( dear lord.   
> Things are going to get crazier starting next chapter but I hope you stay with me. I know I take forever to upload chapters but I do this with work and a tough life :( sorry. I am sorry that the chapter is soooooo slowwwww. :'(
> 
> Love.

The Tribane Alphas looked amazed as the stone shined green. There was no way this was really happening! Sibel looked at the stone, his eyes shining with wonder. The Alphas had deputed him the job of checking the stone every week. That’s how he had found that it had indeed started glowing.

“Are you sure that it’s actually because of what we are thinking?” Jarie asked. Being the Alpha of one of the most vicious packs of Alora kept him on his toes. He did not want to lose the importance that he had gained in the past decade. His reputation was infamous if anything, and he didn’t want some misinformation to mess it up for him.

Sibel nodded. He had never been good with words anyway. He trusted magic more than anything in his life. May be being a descendent of a rogue sorcerer the Elders had never succeeded in capturing was the reason why he always relied on magic so much. Magic provided sweet escape and a unique identity. He wouldn’t trade it for anything.

“It means what it means. If this has happened then the Bay is seriously in danger. It must be losing its powers really fast. But the real question is, just how many of them are there? How are you going to find them?”

The Alphas grunted. They had waited too long for this. Their blood was hot for revenge. The Bay wolves had made them almost powerless, messed up their alpha-omega ratio, so much that one Alpha had to take care of one too many omegas and betas. Barely 8 true alpha families had survived the war, 3 of those were the families of the Tribane. They were protected around the clock so their alpha pups could remain healthy and lead packs. Other Alphas were not as strong as they were supposed to be because their bonds were somehow weaker and the pack dynamic was a mess because omegas did not like sharing their Alphas. The first omega always ended up getting into violent fights with the omegas that came after. It had become a task to keep the omegas in line, so much that the pack had to resort to torture and punishment.

The situation had become a little better in the past five years with the help of other super natural creatures. Alora had debts that needed to be paid and who in the magical realm did not love a good and timely payback?

Alora wanted to invade the Bay, take their packs under their own rule, control their alphas and restore its own balance. The experiment of mating with humans had turned out to be a major disappointment because somehow their wolf magic couldn’t manifest in a half-human child. They could never develop a magical core. It was almost impossible for them to do it because the human world had seen a massive decline in its magical prowess after the Elders had sealed magic, limiting it only to the magical realm, not letting it spill out to the human world anymore. The sorcerers who had escaped the Elders and hid themselves in the human world couldn’t undo the shields that the Elders had set because doing that could give away their location, more so, make them lose what little magic they had left.

The human-supernatural union almost never yielded. 1 in 10000 half-humans showed a spark. To get that half-human to Alora was a whole new challenge because the Bay wolves were on constant vigilance, restraining their movements time and again. Years had passed since the ceasefire was established but Alorans were still bitter about how they had somehow gotten the short end of the stick. Anger was the driving force for everything that they did, although envy wasn’t far behind. They were too proud to accept that they envied what the Bay had done for itself. Destroying or controlling it were the only two options that mattered. They had done a lot of digging and experimenting to achieve what they wanted, even formed associations that could only be called deviant. They had only one goal, suppressing the Bay and eventually destroying it.

This news could change the whole game for them- for good! Through a lot of research and a lot of sacrifices over the years, Alora had found out a way to discern the Bay’s condition. When the vampires had planted the bane in the Bay, they had never expected it to take hold. But surprisingly, it had, even if the effect had started to show only after decades. Along with the bane, their ancestors had planted one of the two soul stones into the deep waters. They were hoping against hope that the Bay would devote all its power to defend itself from the bane and the stone would go unnoticed. Their prayers were answered.

The stone was magical in more than one way. For starters, it could remain dormant and magicless for a long time until its owner activated it. The other stone would remain bonded with it until it was destroyed by a righteous sorcerer. That meant it was like a beacon. Every week, Sibel activated the stone in Alora to see if something happened. Because the Bay’s magical shields were strong, the stone in Alora could never receive any magic from the stone in the Bay. But today it had. The stone had glowed green, which meant that it had received magic, meaning the Bay’s shield was pierced. Now all they needed to do was to find out where this breach was. Once they did, they could easily infiltrate the Bay with the help of their dark supernatural friends and take over. Settle their score. Seek revenge that they so much desired.

 

 

**

Milren paced the small hall impatiently. It had been more than a few weeks that he had heard about Moran’s pack being killed on Bay land. Moran and Milren had both come to the Bay to seek some valuable information. They had to answer to the Tribane, assess the wolves of the Bay and their weaknesses. But it wasn’t an easy task. Even if commute to the Bay was easy, the Bay wolves always kept a close eye on the Alorans who were visiting. They had a way of finding things out, what way Milren didn’t know. May be it was the Bay’s magic itself.

He had found it extremely funny how the Bay wolves married as per a bowl’s wish. Alorans married based on their instincts and greed for political power and so far they had revived well, if not completely. He had no idea how the Bay wolves let some bowl decide who their mate would be but the liberty of having only one omega mate was just infuriating. That meant that the Bay Alphas remained much stronger throughout their lives as compared to Aloran Alphas since the Bay Alphas had to bond with only one omega.

“You sure that the omega got married today? Find out his schedule. We are going to avenge Moran’s death. He was my brother. I will not take some Alpha just slaughtering him in cold blood and-”

“The Alpha is a water element Alpha and Moran tried to-”

“I DON’T CARE. We will go after the omega. We have ten more days in the Bay. Make sure you find me something useful before we have to go back. That omega will have to pay the cost of his Alpha’s recklessness.”

 

 

 

**

 

Jackson felt happy even if his wrist stung with pain and his neck throbbed lightly. The bond thrummed with increased energy now. The added warmth of the other pack members soothed him to the very core. Fie was in a blissed out state, finally feeling complete and connected to someone of his kind. It was weird to think of his wolf as a separate person but Jackson had come to terms with it early on in his childhood. Omega wolves were influencers, no doubt. There had always been something really special about Fie and the way he had guided him all this time. There was so much he had learned from his wolf. He had come to rely on him so much that any conflict between them would get him agitated and frustrated. There was nothing they never agreed on. It was a forever bond which was now strengthened.

Jackson was led to the tent where everyone was eating and drinking, talking and laughing, some people were even dancing. Jackson had had almost no time to interact with any of his friends, let alone drink a glass of water. He had finally grabbed a seat at the family table and started eating like a hungry wolf that he was. Mark was no different. They had hardly interacted after the branding ceremony but that was purely because of how swamped they were by relatives, at least for Jackson.

“Can you stop acting like a savage? Eat slowly, holy Bay,” Jinyoung reprimanded him with a fond shake of his head.

“Mwamhungrynyongie,” the boy tried to talk with food in his mouth. Jinyoung couldn’t help but giggle. Youngjae looked at the two fondly and hummed. He snorted when he saw Jinyoung blush at the scrutiny.

“You are cute. Whichever Alpha is gonna get matched with you is going to be so damn lucky,” Youngjae bent forward and whispered. The blush only intensified.

Jaebeom coughed on the other end of the table. When the three of them looked towards him, he was almost choking on his food. However, his gaze was fixed on Jinyoung.

“You are too kind, beta. I hope your pack Alphas are just as kind…” he stared back at Jaebeom, not blinking.

“They are the best,” Youngjae responded and dug into his food. They ate quietly for a bit before they heard BamBam and Yugyeom struggle.

Youngjae looked towards Yugyeom who was now pouting and his heart just melted. BamBam must have definitely stolen something off his plate.

_“Stop pouting or I will forget we are in front of the elders.”_

Jackson suddenly dropped his fork as he heard Youngjae’s voice in his head. The link was strong and clear, almost like Youngjae was talking to him.

Yugyeom looked towards Youngjae and winked sneakily. BamBam bit his lip as he too met Youngjae’s eyes.

 _“How about you do?”_ Yugyeom challenged.

 _“Want to get your asses whooped, you two?”_ Joey’s voice seemed to have snapped all of them out of their staring match. They suddenly looked away, the embarrassment was too much to handle. Jackson looked at them all one by one and gulped. Was the link always going to be this easy to access? What about privacy?

 _“Feray will teach you how to control the link, our sweet omega,”_ Joey muttered and Jackson felt breathless. He then noticed the whole pack staring at him and his cheeks flamed at the attention. He looked away, making an embarrassed noise at being read like that. He could hear giggling and whispering in his head.

But then, it got silent. He could still feel the link but he couldn’t hear anything.

“Jackson, are you okay?” Jinyoung asked, concerned. The look he was seeing on Mark’s face was driving him a bit mad. Now that Jackson was bound to his pack, Jinyoung couldn’t risk communicating with Jackson through their bond, not until Jackson gained full control of his conscious. Mark was buried deep inside Jackson’s head and there was no way he was going to stop being there. Jinyoung couldn’t help but feel a little exasperated.

Jackson nodded, downing a glass of water fast. He dared to look at Mark for a second and immediately regretted it. The Alpha was staring at him while depositing a morsel of food in his mouth. He licked at his lips right after and Jackson felt all kinds of weird. The small hair at the back of his neck stood up.

_“Are you always going to be like this? So shy all the time? And why do you need privacy?”_

Mark’s voice in his head almost made Jackson fall down. Jinyoung helped him sit back properly and was glad nobody had seen him flailing his arms around. Youngjae had just giggled.

 _“I am not shy.”_ Jackson’s voice was small but determined. He didn’t look at Mark even for a second, instead looked at his mother-in-law happily conversing with his mother. She suddenly turned to look at him and frowned.

 “Wait, why are you sitting over there?” she asked and Jackson stopped chewing, alarmed. He looked around. Jinyoung sat to his right while Youngjae on his left. The rest of the pack and all the closest elders of Mark’s family were right in front of him. Unsure about what he had done wrong, he slowly stood up. The table fell silent. Mark looked up, stared at him and then at his mother.

“Sit with your husband.”

Everyone at the table started murmuring. Jackson didn’t move from his spot nor did he look up. Mark’s paternal family was full of aging wolves and experienced omegas, many of whom had come to train them at the academy. He had had no idea that Mark was related to them. Now that he did, he did not want to do anything to risk his reputation.

“Yes, we are a traditional family but we don’t mind you newly-weds sharing a meal. Is that alright?” she turned to look at all the elders from her family and her husband’s. The elders looked pleasantly surprised but did not voice a complaint about the suggestion. She took it as a sign of progress. They had to move past the old limitations that were put on a newly-wed couple.

“Jackson, we know that many families do not like a pair being too affectionate in front of the elders or forgetting where they are. But, sharing a meal is part of pack dynamic. I am sure you were taught about it at the academy. Soon, you will go hunt for your pack. I think this will be good practice. Yi En will cut you some meat. Yi En, make place in your plate. Feed him,” his father commanded and Mark felt like a deer caught in headlights.

At all the weddings that had happened in his family, the couple would always interact to the minimum until the elders left. It helped them remain focused on their duties towards each other instead of getting influenced by the pink, red charm of budding love and romance. It was also a sign of ultimate restraint that Alphas were expected to show while they were around their omegas. Newly forged bonds really incited insane responses from them and being able to control those while with family counted as a strength.

Mark’s whole body had convulsed after Jackson had gotten the branding. Ever since they had returned to the tent, he had felt small jolts of need rock his body and mind alike, his claws were trying to come out on their own and the insane need to shift and lick Jackson’s neck in front of everyone was driving him crazy. To avoid anything untoward from happening, he had decided to not look in Jackson’s direction or talk to him. But he hadn’t been able to control himself. He had glanced at the omega from time-to-time. Covered by a pashmina shawl and smelling of blood, love and yearning, the boy was a big distraction. It was a sign that the moon’s phase was changing. It only meant one thing, their wolves craved each other’s company and there was nothing their human halves could do about it.

 _“I am going to show him so much love, Yi. Going to ravish him tonight. You and I…us…we are going to take him to bed, see all of him, taste all of him, kn-”_ Mark closed his eyes as his wolf continued saying such things in his head. He shook his head to make his wolf stop but the need he felt at the pit of his stomach only simmered up.

“Yi En?” his father called.

He nodded hurriedly, moved his food to one side of the plate, took a big chunk of meat and started cutting it into small morsels with his claw. Jackson slowly walked towards him amidst the silence at the table. Mark felt like he was going to rip the shawl off of the boy’s body and take him right there, in front of everyone. His hands shook involuntarily and his claws awkwardly scraped against the cutlery. Everybody around him let out silent snickers but didn’t say anything. Joey got up to give Jackson his seat. The boy hesitantly sat, making sure he maintained a lot of distance from Mark but was pushed closer to him by Joey. This was so awkward.

Jackson knew that Mark’s paternal and maternal relatives were mostly traditional and doing this in their presence was a bit too much. It was a surprise that no one had objected to this because traditionally, an Alpha only shared his hunt with his omega after they were mated. That or the omega shared his first hunt after marriage with his pack. Even if this wasn’t a hunt, eating in Mark’s plate was going to be weird.

“Humans do this all the time,” Joey spoke up and everyone looked at him. He shrugged. “It’s sort of…cute?”

The betas snickered. Probably, Joey couldn’t wait to get matched.

Mark slowly lifted a small piece of meat in between his fingers and took it towards Jackson’s mouth. Wolves fed each other with bare hands. It was something about the contact that was considered intimate. Spoons could never do justice to that.

Jackson’s face changed colour yet again. It was like his cheeks were now permanently stained red. He opened his mouth slowly, eyes fixed on Mark’s fingers. Mark deposited the piece in his mouth and slowly retracted his fingers, accidentally touching the boy’s lips as he did. Both flinched at the contact. Mark breathed heavily and resorted to chanting his wolf’s name to calm himself down. He wasn’t going to let down his family yet again by being so low on control, was he?

Everybody clapped. Jackson looked at his mother, trying really hard to not smile.

People had started filing out slowly. It was already a little over midnight. Once the dinner was done, the boys immediately got up to say bye to their respective friends. The tent was again full of movement, but this time it was calm and controlled. Mark’s friends had made sure they made horrible innuendos about his first night. Jackson had tried really hard to not hear but his senses were on an all-time high. He had to lead his group as far away from Mark’s as he could in order to remain sane. The relentless teasing that his own friends had resorted to was getting him exasperated. Jinyoung wasn’t being considerate either.

“I hope he has enough strength to perform. You literally made him faint after he bit you. May be he isn’t that powerful…?” he muttered, earning giggles from the entire group.

“Oh shut it, you morons. What if he hears you, Jinyoung-ah? Just…shush.”

“Is he an eavesdropper? Oh my God,” Jinyoung clicked his tongue and turned to look at Mark’s clique. They were huddled close, probably around Mark and were shaking with silent snickers. The Alpha energy emanating off of the group was impossible to ignore. Jinyoung shivered involuntarily, so did the other omegas around them. It was time for them to leave before it got too late.

“Well…we hope you have a good time, Jackson. Remember our lesson at the Academy? Don’t forget to let his knot loosen completely. He’s a true Alpha so it’s gonna hurt if you hurry,”

“HOLY BAY! Shut up, Steve. You are ridiculous. Just…” Jackson spluttered. He covered his mouth with his palm and looked away. His friends giggled.

“He’s one lucky Alpha. There’s a reason why so many Alphas were lusting after you while at the Academy. They didn’t just come to watch the training sessions for nothing, did they? Did you tell him?”

Jackson widened his eyes and bit his own palm in order to not scream. This was getting out of hand. He really wanted to kick his friends out.

“He will see it, Jackson, during your first heat. The suppressants aren’t going to work now that you are bitten. He’s gonna know…”

Jackson quickly landed hits on his friend’s chest and the rest of them snickered mercilessly.

“Devils. I hate you,” he whined but the thought of Mark finding out that he…that…he couldn’t even think about it in that moment. It was too embarrassing. Disgusting, even.

They quieted down as they heard Jackson’s father speak to Mark’s.

“Thank you for everything. I must say, you surprised me with such lavish wedding arrangements. I now know why the people say that Tuans don’t go easy on anything. We are so thankful for all your respect and hospitality. Wang family must leave now,” Jackson’s father bowed repeatedly to Mark’s. Jackson’s uncle and his aunt, his cousins, all bowed to the elder Tuans, who bowed back just as happily, grunting in pleasure. His parents went on to hug Mark goodbye. Jackson stared at them and felt his heart get heavy. His family had made two blood bonds just for him. He really came from a great family. His friends quickly said their goodbyes before making a beeline towards the exit. Jinyoung stayed behind, rather lingered as they both stared at their parents interacting with Mark’s. Jinyoung’s mother had repeatedly bowed to Mark’s. After all, Jackson was like a son to her.

“Are you going to miss me?”

Jackson got out of his reverie then. Jinyoung stood in front of him, awkward and in pain. His moist eyes made Jackson’s heart break.

“Is that even a question?” Jackson hugged the boy tight, rocking in his arms as tears his flowed freely.

“Beta said…said that…you can come visit me anytime…anytime you want,” he hiccupped. Jinyoung hugged him tighter.

“I am gonna stay with your dumbass forever, Jackson. Love you, stupid Fie,” he grunted and they fell silent, communicating with their bond. It was strange because they had to restrain themselves a bit because Jackson’s thoughts were very easy for his pack to listen in to.

“Call me every day. I have arranged everything essential in your bag. Just…take care. If he h-”

“He won’t. Stop being so mean to him,” Jackson whined.

They separated when Jinyoung’s mother called on him. They had to leave.

“Take care, Jackson. I will always be a howl away. Prince is gonna be with you always.”

He walked away slowly, turning back again and again to look at Jackson. He kept on waving, hiding his tears as he went and stood beside his parents.

When Jackson saw his mom smile softly at him, he knew it was time. It made him feel weird and emotional for some reason. They were not going to be far, just a short car ride away but it still felt too much. He ran up to her and hugged her tightly. He hugged his father next. He could clearly understand their feelings through touch and scent. They wanted him to remain safe. They were always going to think about him and miss him. They were going to keep loving him deeply from afar. They wanted him to take care of himself and be a responsible Prime. Jackson assured them that he would never let them down.

They slowly walked towards their car, bowing, waving and smiling, with tears in their eyes. His family was leaving. Jackson’s heart was breaking and the tears that flowed from his eyes until their cars were out of his sight seemed justified. Nobody disturbed him or crowded him to comfort him. This was a pain every omega went through when he started his new life.

Just like that the estate became quiet, only a few wolves remained behind. Jackson felt deeply exhausted. He wanted to change into something comfortable and untainted with his blood but he didn’t know how long it would take for him to go back to the small cottage where his bag was. His mother’s beautiful Pashmina shawl smelled like her so he hugged it close, suddenly feeling alone and stranded.

Mrs Tuan walked towards him. He smiled warmly at her, trying really hard to mask his fear and nervousness.

“Mark is going to take you to your house now, honey. You must be really tired, right?” Mrs Tuan rubbed at his arms affectionately.

He felt suddenly conscious about that. He wanted to stay with his in-laws and not just with Mark. It was too scary a thought to suddenly go live with Mark alone, especially after how he had treated him in the woods tonight. There was something so predatory about him. Even now, he could feel Mark’s intent gaze from a distance.

“Why not the mansion? I just want to go to sleep, mother.” Jackson had to try once.

“He got the house ready for you. The pack will escort you. It’s not very far from the den. You will sleep better there.”

“But my stuff-”

“It’s already delivered there, all of it. The betas saw to it personally that all your stuff was properly arranged in the new house. Don’t worry.” She started walking away but Jackson grabbed at her sleeve desperately.

“Can’t we stay with you and father at the mansion? I promise I won’t cause trouble,” he muttered, his eyes already moist. Her face softened at that. She cupped his face lovingly, as if he was a little child.

“Oh honey, I would love for you to stay at the mansion. But you have to have your own place and privacy with Mark…do you understand? It’s hard for Alphas to…you know…be themselves around their mates when there’s a lot of people around…oh Jackson, no need to cry, honey,” she hugged him because the implication was finally sinking in for Jackson. He was used to having people around him but now it would just be Mark. He already knew that the Alpha had no interest in living a normal married life with him. It broke his heart.

“Mark looked into decorating the place himself. I think it’s minimalistic but beautiful. He put a lot of thought into it. At least go and check it out. If you still feel like you want to come live at the mansion, you can do it. This whole property is yours from today, honey. Please don’t be upset,” she cooed, tapping his head and back to soothe him.

He hugged her even tighter then, a soft sob bubbled out of his chest. She could relate to how omegas felt when they left their families behind to join their own packs. It was really a big shift. The expectations were always higher when it came to omegas and they were trained to deliver.

“Why is he crying? Oh dear,” Mark’s father had made his way to them. The ceremony had long concluded and he couldn’t wait to go have some much deserved sleep. The whole day had been spent amidst family happily. He was too blissed out to stay up any longer.

“He’s just nervous, I think. Look at our dumbass son, he won’t even come comfort his mate.” Mrs Tuan clicked her tongue as she looked at Mark talking to his friends. “Can you just-”

“YI EN!” Mark’s father yelled before she could even finish. May be it was the power of their bond that they could easily do things in coordination like this. Jackson finally separated from his mother-in-law, much too thankful for all the warmth she exuded towards him since the very beginning. It was comforting to have Mark’s parents being so supportive and loving.

Mark rushed towards them, a bit jittery and nervous himself. His friends took it as their cue to leave, waving at Jackson as they walked away. Jackson bowed at them and stood closer to Mrs Tuan.

“You have no sense of responsibility, Yi En. You have left him alone ever since the dinner. All of you are no different,” Mr Tuan yelled at the pack and they looked embarrassed.

“You will escort him, treat him with respect and behave like a responsible Alpha. Betas, back to the den. Joey, I hope you made all the arrangements that I had asked you to make for him. Jaebeom-ah, stay. Your parents are already resting at the mansion. Honey, go get the gift,” Mr Tuan gestured at his wife.

Mark looked at Jackson and realized that the omega looked tired and uncomfortable. Nothing a good hot shower and a cup of coffee couldn’t fix. He smirked. The scent that the boy was giving off was driving him crazy. That had been the main reason why he hadn’t been too close to Jackson. He didn’t want to pop a boner in the presence of so many guests. His wolf had been erratic the whole evening, going crazy at the prospect of being alone with Jackson. He was no different. Ever since he had given Jackson the mate bite, his control over his thoughts, emotions and desires had completely vanished. He was totally in tune with his wolf. It was a blessing that the pack was around to keep him grounded or he was sure he would have done or said something inappropriate to Jackson.

His need to manhandle Jackson was coming to the surface quickly so he cleared his throat. Jackson looked up at him just then. They stared at each other and Jackson felt a chill go down his spine. The bond thrummed with electric energy and he could feel how Mark’s wolf was dying to have him close. He clutched his shawl tighter and looked away.

“Here,” Mrs Tuan handed a small box to Jackson.

“What’s this?” he smiled as he accepted it.

“You are the first omega of this pack. Consider this as our blessing for your happy married life.”

“But…but you have already given me so many-”

“And I will be giving you many more gifts, honey. You deserve everything nice. Just open it,” she insisted.

Inside was a beautiful circular pendent in a thin golden chain. The pack symbol was engraved on it. Under the symbol, it read- Jackson. Mark. There was a small heart in between their names. It made him blush and smile.

“Yi En,” his father hissed and Mark immediately moved forward. 

He pulled the chain out of the box and held it in front of Jackson’s face. Jackson removed the shawl from around his neck. He winced as it rubbed against the bite. Mark bit his lip as he smelled the boy up close. He smelled of spicy vanilla and woody patchouli now, the strong of his cocoa and jasmine fragrance clung heavily on his body. It was like smelling a delicious mix of their scents. His heart was ready to plummet out of his chest because of how his feelings bubbled up.

“Holy Bay,” he muttered before he surged forward and fastened the chain around his neck. The silver of the necklace that Mark had gifted him gleamed against the gold. Mark’s hands lingered, slightly touching Jackson’s nape even after he was done. The boy shivered.

“Aww, honey, it looks amazing. Did you like it?”

Jackson nodded and smiled.

“Now, get going! You look really tired. Sleep well. Nobody is going to disturb you for two days. You know you cannot leave the property for two days, right? If you need anything at all, just let Mark know. He will get you everything, right Mark?”

Mark was too dazed to answer as he stared at Jackson’s jugular, and the little of the mate bite that was not covered by the robe. It looked angry and swollen but there was something so magnetic about it. Mark wanted to touch it, feel it, sniff it and lick it.

“Yi En?”

Mark snapped out of his trance and moved away, avoiding eye contact with his parents or the pack.

“Mother…” Jackson croaked as she nudged him towards the pack.

Mark could clearly hear how fast Jackson’s heart was beating. The fear and nervousness that he was experiencing was hitting him hard.

“It’s alright, Jackson. Just call me if you need me. You can come to the mansion in the morning. Don’t be scared. The pack is going to be so close to you. They can hear you, now that you are bonded. Don’t be afraid, son,” she kissed his head and rubbed at his back.

“Don’t be careless and bratty. Joey, Jaebeom, I don’t have to worry about you two, do I? No messing around,” she warned and they all nodded hurriedly.

“Goodnight, sons.” Mr Tuan waved as he walked towards the mansion. Mrs Tuan smiled one last time towards Jackson before following her husband.

 

 

**

 

The pack stood rooted to its spot. Nobody moved.

“Should we drive or…?” BamBam asked softly after nobody seemed to do anything.

“Yes. Let’s drive. Jackson must be really tired. We cannot make him walk.” Jaebeom offered. “Let me call Ralph.”

Jackson didn’t say or do anything. He just held his shawl closer to his body. It wasn’t like he felt cold but his mother’s scent was calming.

Two cars arrived and Jackson was ushered into one. Mark sat beside him while the rest of the pack squeezed itself in another.

“Here,” Mark offered him a bottle of water. “Are you okay? Does it hurt?” Mark asked softly and Jackson’s heart clenched. He knew that the bond was making Mark care for him but it still felt really precious. He wanted to save these moments.

“No. Not much,” he mumbled before taking a small sip of water.

“Good. I am sure you will feel much better tomorrow.”

They were quiet for the rest of the ride. Jackson quickly realized that this was the beginning of his and Mark’s life and he had no idea how he was going to survive.

When the car came to a stop, Jackson was met with a house decorated with colourful lights. It looked like it was mostly built of glass.

“It’s really small…smaller than the den. Dad said to not get too extravagant. There wasn’t much time so-” Mark babbled. It made Jackson smile. They got out of the car. The pack arrived behind them.

“My things…”

“Everything is arranged inside. All your stuff. If you need anything at all, Ralph can get it. Come on,” Mark tilted his head towards the house and Jackson nodded.

The house was really nice and cosy. The furniture was minimalistic and the interiors were mostly done in white. The living room had a comfy looking couch and a big television. There was also some gaming stuff in the corner. Jackson wasn’t a gaming kind of a person but wolves mainly played hunting strategy games. The human world had affected the wolves greatly enough for them to adopt their pastimes as well. Although, gaming demanded extreme passion and wasn’t to be taken lightly even in the wolf world.

The high ceiling made the house feel huge on the inside. The openness was really the best part of it. Jackson’s house had remained covered mostly because houses with omegas were well guarded at all times. The only times omegas came in contact with Alphas was during training sessions. Even then, they were heavily supervised.

The kitchen was spacious and looked totally stocked. Everything was sparkling clean and beautiful. It made Jackson feel welcome. The humidity that the Bay’s proximity brought with itself was easy to feel in the house. Jackson walked around amazed at how nicely the space was distributed. There was no unnecessary clutter. However, the walls looked empty. There were no pictures or posters or any memorabilia.

“There’s more rooms upstairs. There’s a guest bedroom here,” BamBam dragged Jackson towards the room. “See, it’s small but really nice, right? I was thinking maybe we can get a book shelf here in this space. What do you think?”

Jackson smiled and nodded, the beta’s excitement getting to him immediately. He hesitated but decided that this was his chance. He grabbed BamBam’s sleeve and tugged on it.

“Are you okay? Oh God, does it hurt? Come here.” Before he could say anything, he was dragged into a comfortable but bony embrace that instantly soothed him.

“You are so brave and beautiful. How did we get so lucky with you? Ah, you smell just like Mark, even better.”

Jackson was quiet but smiling. This was always going to comfort him, this love that he felt from the betas. It was pure and genuine. Even their base neutral scents couldn’t mask how they felt when they were around him. He could feel affection, devotion and amazement in the way Mark’s scent on them changed with their changing emotions around him.

“I really need to shower and change. Can you take me upstairs?” he whispered, gently getting out of the boy’s hold. “Can you guys stay till I come back? Please don’t leave just yet, please,” he pleaded with his big puppy eyes and BamBam couldn’t find it in his heart to say no.

“Okay. Don’t be afraid. We will be here. All your stuff is arranged in your room upstairs. But, we can’t stay for too long. Mark is…he’s already a bit…you know,” BamBam scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment.

Jackson nodded, not even trying to hide how his heartbeat picked up and face flushed.

“Come on,” BamBam held Jackson’s hand and led him out of the guest bedroom.

The pack was busy talking about God knows what.

“He’s going to take a shower. Yugyeom-ah, make some coffee? I am going to take him upstairs.” He didn’t wait to hear a response, dragged Jackson up the stairs quickly.

When Jackson got upstairs, he instantly realized that the floor was pretty much sound proof. His senses were a bit confused at not being able to hear everything around him as clearly as before. He stopped short and tried again.

“Don’t. He did it on his own. Something about having privacy so that he can work from his study if needed.”

Jackson’s face changed its expression quickly, and BamBam couldn’t help but laugh.

“Believe me, he has many other reasons than that. But yeah, he works really hard. Past few months, he has barely had any time to relax. He’s making many changes in the business after he came back from the human world. According to him, humans are really intelligent and there’s a lot we can learn from them,” BamBam spoke fast as he grabbed Jackson by the shoulders and led him to the bedroom.

“This is your bedroom. All your stuff is here. Your friend was very specific about nobody touching your bag so we didn’t. But, Youngjae, Yugyeom and I, we arranged stuff from your other boxes here. You have a very nice fashion sense, I must say.”

He sat down on an extremely spacious bed and smiled. Jackson looked around. The walls were painted in a light shade of lavender and contrasted well with the white furniture. The room was lavishly decorated as compared to the rest of the house. But what really threw Jackson off was what he saw right across from the bed. A huge picture of him smiling hung on the wall and right beside it was a picture of Mark, looking a bit angry? It almost made Jackson snort. It was so accurate. That was the expression that Mark always had on his face.

BamBam giggled.

“I can already imagine what you are thinking. Your wolf is so smart. He’s already learned how to control the link. He won’t let me hear your thoughts. Smart, Feray.”

Jackson smiled. He had had no time to have any conversation with his wolf. He trusted his wolf to learn things faster than he ever could. Now that he knew he was a Prime, he had no idea what his wolf was capable of.

“Jinyoung sent this picture. In fact, he had sent us a lot of options but we voted and this one won. You look stunning. This was Jaebeom’s idea. We didn’t have any good pictures of Mark, though. He always looks angry. What a weirdo,” he snickered.

Jackson clicked his tongue instantly, as if it was involuntary.

“Alright! Not calling our Alpha names. By the way, how was the party? Did you like the surprise we had sent for you?”

Jackson giggled before nodding. Mark’s man-sized cut out was still in his bedroom, although he had hidden it well. He had no idea how Hyun Sik had managed to get it inside without letting his parents know.

“You should see him when he trains. I cannot believe it that you two never got a single training session together! That’s really surprising.”

Jackson shrugged. He had no idea why he had never had a single training session with Mark at the Academy. Mark was a very well-known Alpha in the Bay and his fighting and defence skills were unparalleled. He was a guest teacher at training sessions. However, Jackson had never seen him in person at the Academy, only heard things about him fleetingly.

He opened his bag and found everything that he needed because Jinyoung had arranged everything meticulously. His favorite velvet pyjama set smelled different, making him wince instantly.

“Your old scent will feel weird. I took the liberty to buy you new clothes.” BamBam walked to the wardrobe beside the bed and took out a set of comfortable pants and a loose t-shirt. “If you want, you can still wear your old clothes. However, the scent might tick you off, also Mark. You don’t want that to happen on your first night, do you?”

Jackson whined at that, making BamBam laugh out loud.

“So cute. Here. Have a good shower. Do you want to eat something?”

Jackson shook his head.

“Coffee?”

Jackson nodded. BamBam walked up to him and ran his fingers through his hair.

“You look tired. I am going to go now. We can’t wait long so…”

“I will be down as soon as I can. Give me ten minutes. Thank you for doing this,” Jackson looked around while leaning into the man’s touch.

“Anything for you.”

 

 

**

Jackson never felt this good in his life. The bite mark was not as bad as before, nor was his wrist hurting. He had healed well. However, the mark was still a bit sensitive to the touch. Mark’s fangs had been too pointy so the indents were very clear. Just looking at it made Jackson shy. He threw the robes in the washing machine and felt relieved because he no longer smelled of blood.

The shower had made his hair go crazy again. He looked like a mushroom head, unable to tame it from resting on his forehead like a four year old. The maroon t-shirt really made his skin pop. The glow was still there and it felt like it was never going to go away.

_“Hurry, will you? They have to leave. They are all skittish around Mark because he’s being a bit erratic…”_

Jackson quickly moisturized his face and ran down.

The sound really hit his senses at once. The winds, the pack talking, the night insects buzzing, the water of the Bay, the sudden increase in someone’s heartbeat, more increased heart beats, shallow breathing…

He looked up and the pack stared at him like they had never seen him before. Suddenly conscious about having their attention on him like that, he looked at his feet.

“Holy shit, do you smell that?” Joey sniffed the air. “It’s like Mark is clinging to him so tightly but then there’s his own scent, what is it?” he fervently sniffed the air again and groaned. “He smells like a freshly baked cake topped off with oh, some hot chocolate sauce. Their harmony is insane,” he walked towards Mark to sniff him. The whole pack seemed dazed, as if attaining some weird state of happiness that only they could understand.

Then they all walked towards Jackson and he stiffened.

“We need to sniff you now. It’s just a pack thing…the new scent is different and very tempting,” Youngjae whispered and gulped, opening and closing his eyes a few times.

Jackson looked at Mark, he didn’t know why but he just did.

Mark nodded to him, as if giving him the okay to let the pack sniff him.

“The link gets weaker if they don’t sniff you from time to time, especially the betas. Until we…I…we…” he hesitated and Jaebeom snorted.

“Until you two mate…the link will need a different impetus to remain strong till then…just like how Mark scented you until the marriage, the betas need to sniff you until you two mate…”

Jackson remembered the lesson about this part of the pack dynamic. However, he didn’t know about it just affecting the betas.

“Water element Alphas are not susceptible to this. We only need to sniff you once. Because Mark is deep inside your head through the bite, we will remain connected to you through it once we sniff you. But the betas do not have that power.”

Youngjae had already made his way towards him and grunted while staring at his jugular. Jackson quickly pulled the collar of the t-shirt and bared his neck. The bite mark was red and angry.

“Our omega,” he moaned as he sniffed Jackson’s neck hurriedly. The moment the tip of his nose touched Jackson’s skin, there was a sudden thrum of energy in his body. He moaned involuntarily because he felt sensitive.

Quick kisses were being planted on his mark.

“Best for us, best for our Alpha, our omega,” Youngjae whimpered and touched his forehead against Jackson’s, gripping his nape tightly.

“My wolf to yours, we are bonded by blood and love. I will protect you until the day I can’t. Let all our full moons be spent together. You make me so happy.” He spoke fast and Jackson could clearly feel the happiness trickle down his body right from his forehead to his toes.

The rest of the betas did the same, saying something very sweet and heartfelt. The Alphas, however, said something different than the betas.

 “My wolf to yours, we are bonded by blood and love. I promise to protect your Alpha until the day I can’t. You will always be safe with me. I will always respect you as my Alpha’s omega. You will always be the first omega that I will save, even over my own. You make me so strong.” Joey had said and Jackson felt a sob bubble out of his chest. The man had immediately hugged him and Jackson felt a very different link between them all. This was how it felt to be a part of a pack.

Jaebeom had been really gentle and sweet, treating him like a flower. It made Jackson’s heart ache. He had stared into his eyes with so much emotion that Jackson felt breathless. What kind of a bond was this? Was he really deserving of the love he was getting from the pack? They didn’t even know him well yet. It was like the bite had made them this attached without even trying. It was all because of Mark, Mark who stood away from them all.

“My wolf to yours, we are bonded by blood and love. I promise to protect your Alpha until the day I can’t. I will try my best to bring you happiness. I will cherish and respect you as the first omega of this pack. You make me strong and weak at the same time.” Jaebeom’s voice had cracked. Jackson had no idea what to do so he had wrapped his arms around the elder’s waist.

Jaebeom had kissed his head several times, just like Jinyoung always did. It was so familiar.

“Okay, you guys…” Mark cleared his throat and Jaebeom slowly released Jackson from his hold, smiling happily at him.

Everyone started moving away from Jackson and towards the door, making Jackson panic and widen his eyes.

“There’s coffee in the kitchen,” Yugyeom smiled as he waved at him, eyes crinkling cutely.

“Wait…” Jackson muttered, taking quick steps towards them but they only laughed before getting out of the door.

Jackson could clearly hear his own heartbeat, it was so loud. He didn’t dare to turn around and look at Mark. Minutes passed in stilted silence before Jackson felt Mark move towards him, slowly.

“Want me to get you the coffee before I go take a shower?”

Jackson felt goose bumps break on his skin at how soft his voice sounded. He slowly turned around and looked at Mark. He was standing barely a few feet away with his fists bunched.

Jackson nodded.

Mark quickly sprinted towards the kitchen. Jackson sat himself on the couch but the nervousness that he felt wouldn’t go away. Even if this was a frenzy that the bite had induced, Mark was still Mark and there was nothing in this world that could stop him from responding to Mark, not today, not ever.

Mark had brought Jackson coffee and some cookies, set them down on the table and sighed. When Jackson looked at the cookies, he realized that Mark could be hungry. His wolf had told him that the bite had taken a lot out of Mark.

“Are you hungry?” he asked before Mark made his way upstairs. The elder stopped short at the question and slowly nodded. The energy he was spending on maintaining his composure was so high that he felt weak with hunger.

“There’s stuff that the betas brought. I can just-”

“I will make you something to eat. You are definitely not eating cookies while I am here,” Jackson got up, taking a sip of his coffee and walking to the kitchen. He didn’t even spare Mark a glance.

“How about fish? You like fish?” Jackson asked from the kitchen.

Mark raised his eyebrows at the whole domesticity of the situation and a warm wave of affection took over his heart.

“Yes, sure. Fish. I like it,” Mark muttered.

“Okay.” Jackson smiled.

Unsure about how to react, Mark climbed the stairs, turning around once to look in the direction of the kitchen.

 _“He loves you.”_ The wolf muttered so softly that Mark’s heart did a somersault.

“I want him so much. How is this happening? Can you please help me? I don’t want to do something that I will regret later, Boo.” Mark breathed heavily once he entered the bedroom. It smelled so heavily of Jackson that he felt even more aggravated.

_“I can’t. It’s the bond. He was too accepting of it, the pack was too accepting of it. He’s your omega. He will tempt you just by being himself. This is not something you can control, not tonight, not until the high from the bite goes down. You know this. You knew this was going to happen.”_

“But…but I thought I could control it. I am a water element Alpha, the strongest one there is. But turns out…I can’t…” Mark walked into the bathroom, gripping his side and felt his head spin because Jackson’s scent was stronger in there.

_“That’s because, at the end of the day, you are just an Alpha and you will fall to your knees for your omega. The magic hasn’t given just you all the powers. The omegas have been blessed too. They will make you weak with their love, their body and their magical presence. It’s their power. They will keep your hunger alive for years. They will make you come back home.”_

Mark sighed as cold water hit his skin. His body ached and throbbed in places he didn’t know he could feel. The extreme hardness between his legs bothered him a lot. Even the cold water wasn’t enough to calm him. He stroked himself hurriedly, ashamed that he had to do this with Jackson downstairs. What if Jackson could smell him? His sense of smell was exceptionally superior. That wasn’t possible if he rubbed himself clean, right? He couldn’t care about it in that moment because the pain was excruciating. He began stroking himself at a punishing pace in order to be done fast. He couldn’t stay in the shower forever, not with Jackson waiting to feed him.

_“You are so hard for him. You want him in your arms, under you in your bed, writhing and begging for your big knot. I want him too, Yi, so much. He’s beautiful and so sexy. Have you seen the curves of his body? He’s asking to be taken, for hours, in every which position you can think of.”_

“I-,” Mark shuddered, his orgasm close.

_“He will be so pliant, Yi. He wants you just as much as you want him. I can feel it in the way he never looks at you for too long. He wants it. He wants you to show him how Alpha you are. Will you?”_

“Yes, oh yes. I will…Jackson, I will show you, Jackson, Jackson…”

Mark reached his peak faster than he ever had, when he saw visuals of Jackson under him. Then he saw his cum going down the drain with the water that splashed against him relentlessly. He had come harder than he ever had, almost losing his sense of balance. Embarrassment rolled off of him in waves but his body felt so much lighter than before. He was able to breathe better and the pain in his lower half was gone.

_“Just lose all your inhibitions. I hate that you don’t want to love him but…but tonight, just be led by emotions that the bond is making you feel. It’s a terribly strong attraction and affection for the one you have rightfully claimed. It’s my need and yours too. This is who we are.”_

About twenty minutes later, Mark came down. But what he heard the moment he reached the bottom of the stairs were the betas chattering incessantly.

“This is so delicious. Oh my God, this is amazing,” Yugyeom spoke between chewing and Mark felt a vein pop off on his forehead.

“I will make deer after the hunt. My mother says that nobody makes it like me. You guys like deer or beef?” Jackson asked excitedly.

Mark walked in on a table full of food and people he thought he would not see for the rest of the night.

“Holy shit, we got blessed by the bowl. He cooks like he is a pro! Damn, Alpha, you got so lucky,” Jaebeom gobbled big bites of the food in front of him happily.

Mark felt like breaking the cutlery on their heads.

“We smelled the fish. Just couldn’t control so we invited ourselves over. Right, Bam?” Youngjae said, sensing Mark’s changing mood.

“Do you think, may be, you could have tried harder to control yourselves? May be, be as far away from the house as possible?” Mark asked, his tone light but his gaze intense. Everyone stopped chewing at that.

“You must be really hungry,” Jackson whispered and put a plate full of food in front of him. “Let them eat, please. I am so happy to serve them. Please,” he pleaded and Mark didn’t feel like stretching the matter further.

The moment he tasted the food, he moaned. They weren’t kidding about Jackson being a great cook.

“This is really good,” he nodded at Jackson. The boy smiled wide but didn’t keep his gaze for long.

Once the food was finished, literally all of it, the betas stretched their bodies and groaned in contention.

“You are the source of our happiness.” Youngjae back hugged him and whispered against his shoulder. Jackson giggled.

“You say it like you never have delicious food here,” he patted the boy’s arm as he cleaned the kitchen platform.

“Yours tastes the best though.” Yugyeom joined in on the hug quickly followed by BamBam. The two Alphas whined because they felt left out. Without waiting they went on to nuzzle in the necks of the betas.

Mark was pissed beyond measure. It looked like the pack had no plans to leave unless he did something.

“What about dessert? I think there’s ice cream,” Joey said and walked to the fridge.

“I can serve it Alpha, you guys, go sit,” Jackson quickly separated himself from the clingy betas.

Mark let out a low growl but nobody seemed to react to it, too blissed out due to the food coma and Jackson’s scent as they made their way to the couch.

“Which ice cream would you like?” Jackson asked gently as Mark stared at the pack.

“I would like for them to leave.” He pointed at the pack and glared his teeth.

Jackson blushed at that and scratched his neck in embarrassment. It was really unfair for someone to look so cute at ass o clock in the morning, Mark thought. He had no idea what was up with Jackson looking so fine after cooking and serving a pack of eternally hungry wolves a sumptuous meal. There was no trace of any tiredness on the boy’s face.

“Let them have ice cream. I am sure they will leave after that. Please don’t scold them…”

“Yeah? What about me? What about you not understanding that I…can you just…” Mark clicked his tongue in frustration and huffed. “Nobody cares about me in this world,” he complained and went on to join the pack, sporting a pout so disturbingly adorable that for a second Jackson felt like cooing.

He served ice cream and saw the sourness on Mark’s face. It made him giggle. The sound got the attention of the betas and they saw him stare at Mark’s pouty face.

“NO! He hates us being here…” BamBam exclaimed and Mark clicked his tongue.

“But why? I don’t see what we have done to sour his mood like this,” Jaebeom lilted before taking his tongue out to mock Mark.

“I think he doesn’t want to share his omega with us,” Joey snorted as he pulled Jackson closer and kissed the top of his head. “Please brother, he belongs to us toooo….”

That was it. Mark was done with showing restraint and patience. This was too much.

“OUT!” he growled and the pack scrambled at how the whole living room vibrated due to his growl.

“If you stay for one more minute, I will beat your asses to pulp. I swear to the Holy Bay, I will not be forgiving,” he seethed at Jaebeom and Joey who instantly got up, sweating profusely.

“And you three, don’t you dare think that I won’t come disturb you when you are getting it on. Oh believe me, I will! And I will show it all to these two! If you do not get your asses out of here before my countdown ends, you will all regret it.” The Alpha roared.

“Three…” the betas got up hurriedly and hid behind Jaebeom and Joey.

“Two,” Joey and Jaebeom gulped nervously before slowly inching towards the door.

“Wait, what are you going to do to him?” BamBam asked from behind Jaebeom and Mark growled even louder, literally shaking all the ice-cream bowls on the table.

“Betaaaaaa…” Jackson whined in complaint at the question and rushed to the kitchen.

“All the best, Alpha. Don’t let us down with a sub-par performance. We will KNOW! We aren’t going to just sit around and take you being a bad-”

“ONE!” Mark ran towards them but they were faster. They had all exited the house at once so Mark latched the door and huffed.

“I will know if you try to snoop through the link…don’t think I won’t chain you up in the den’s basement to punish you. One breach in the link and all of you are grounded,” Mark added and heard groans.

“At least kiss him properly, will you, old man? Our reputation is at stake. He’s going to think what kind of an old Alpha he has been matched with if you don’t do well tonight-”

“I SWEAR TO THE BAY, BAMMIE, YOU ARE JUST ASKING TO BE PUNISHED!” Mark yelled and heard the pack scramble away from the house.

He walked back towards the kitchen to find Jackson doing the dishes. The boy must have sensed him coming because he immediately stiffened. Mark clenched and unclenched his fists a few times.

The sight of Jackson in his house, alone with him, with nobody to stop them was just too exciting.

Mark walked up to him fast and breathed heavily on his nape.

He wrapped his arms around him, reeled on his back and nuzzled in his neck. Jackson dropped the plate in the sink nervously.

“They…are still here…”

Mark pulled him away from the sink but Jackson held on to the platform.  He grabbed his wrist tightly, forgetting that the pack symbol was branded on it. Jackson winced.

“GO, ALPHA!” Mark heard Youngjae and let out a frustrated whine.

“GET AWAY FROM HERE. YOU DO NOT WANT ME TO COME OUT THERE.”

“SO THAT’S WHY YOU SOUND PROOFED THE UPPER FLOOR, ALPHA, SO SMART OF YOU,” Jaebeom yelled and Mark let Jackson’s wrist go. He rushed towards the door and yanked it open, howled angrily with his claws out.

Jackson freaked out because Mark looked huge, his shift was in progress because of how angry he was at the interruption. It looked like he was working really hard to not shift completely. He rushed to the door and gently placed his hands on Mark’s shoulders to calm him. His breathing was still heavy but his shift slowly receded after a beat.

“It’s alright. Don’t get mad, please,” he whispered because Mark was freaking him out.

His voice laced with fear did a number on the pack pretty fast.

“Jackson, don’t worry. We were just teasing. Mark, he’s freaking out, stop. We are leaving. We promise to not make a mess,” Joey said. The pack immediately shifted and ran into the woods.

Jackson took a step back, still a bit afraid. After a few calming breaths, Mark turned around. He carefully locked the door and looked at Jackson. He looked small and nervous. His back was against the wall and Mark could clearly hear his rapidly beating heart.

At Mark’s scrutiny, Jackson pushed himself into the wall even more, as if it would absorb him. The silence creeped him out even more. Mark wasn’t moving, just standing in front of him, staring.

Jackson moved to leave but before he could, Mark took a step closer, effectively blocking him. His palms rested on either side of Jackson’s head. The difference in height was suddenly more noticeable.

“Smell nice,” Mark breathed out with much difficulty, almost as if words were caught in his throat. He touched Jackson’s hair which fell on his forehead delicately, making Jackson stop breathing. He sniffed Jackson’s head, breathing ragged and whiny, just like a wolf, so much that it almost made Jackson giggle. He dared to slowly place his palms on the Alpha’s chest. The touch seemed to incite an instant response from Mark. He planted a loud kiss on the boy’s head and groaned, pulling Jackson into an embrace.

Jackson felt his eyes moisten at the gentleness. Was this how it would feel if Mark truly loved him? Would he hold him like he was precious?

The Alpha patted his head slowly, relishing the feeling of holding him close.

“Soft,” he muttered as he played with Jackson’s hair. Jackson didn’t know what was wrong with Mark’s speaking skills and why he was only using few words to communicate but it was too endearing. He hid in Mark’s chest, fisting his t-shirt nervously. This was awfully nice, gentle and heart-warming.

They both sighed contentedly because this was what the bond wanted. The bond magic was such that mates were physically, mentally and spiritually entwined together tightly. The expression of the bond was also in the same way.

Physically, the mates would seek extreme intimacy with each other. The omega would go in heat every three months to demand relief from his Alpha. The Alpha would fulfil his omega’s needs. If the omega was away from the Alpha for a long time, the Alpha would go in a rut, wildly seeking his mate and hoping for relief. Sniffing was also a part of the physical intimacy that they truly desired. The scents they shared calmed them instantly. The mere presence of the mate would help with stability.

Mentally, the mates were connected. Their pain, their rage, their fear, everything was connected. The connection was a power but also a weakness. The connection in between an Alpha and his omega would be the first target for any enemy. Breaking the omega from the Alpha and the pack would weaken the entire pack. Mutual love, respect and faithfulness strengthened this connection while deceit, lies and disregard weakened it.

The wolf spirits of the Alpha and omega were bound to each other because they were like peas in a pod, coming from fragments of magic that enriched each other. In a way, every element enriched the other in its contact. But a mate combination was based on the thorough magical harmony- physical, mental and emotional harmony.

Harmony was the key to the wolf magic and the magic of the Bay. It came only with kindness, a need to protect, balance, selflessness and the ability to maintain a state of positivity. That is why the Bay had flourished. If one Alpha-omega bond was bad, it affected the whole pack. But if one Alpha-omega bond was good then the whole pack would become stronger, drawing strength from their magical harmony. 

The Bowl was created with the sole purpose of finding this magical harmony between Alphas and omegas. It was made from the bones of Damarchus, Scythia and Lykiaos. The harmony between the creator of the Bay, his mate and his son with a wolf-spirit had resulted in the Bowl becoming full of magic and infinite affinity to harmony. The blood that was given to the Bowl strengthened it because it was given with the intent of forming packs and bonds, an intent to flourish, sustain and grow. The magic of the three would then create every possible match and check its harmony. Once the magic reached the highest possible state of harmony, enough to never harm or create problems to the wolf world, it would disperse into the air, find the matched pair and align itself with their magic. When this alignment was complete, the Alpha and omega would find their mate, see them in visions in their wolf or human forms.

The magic had harmonised relatively quickly with Jackson because he was a Prime. Scythia’s magic gravitated towards him faster than the other two and made sure it stayed there to help him when the time arose. With Mark, Lykiaos’s magic had found him in the human world, breaking the shields on its way because the Elders had been his successors, his blood and his magic could easily surpass theirs. Mark’s and Jackson’s match had reached the minimum required level of harmony, more than any other possible match Mark’s blood had ever had. It wasn’t the most ideal match but it had the potential to sustain and the Bowl was all for sustenance than a lonely water element Alpha.

The magic demanded that the mates deepened their bond because it sustained only on its power. If the matched pairs never created a bond, never engaged in knotting, creating packs and families with love and respect, the magic would start to fade, making the wolves too weak to defend themselves, making them lose their minds and commit crimes of the worst kind.

When bonds chosen by the Bowl were broken, their harmony was disturbed, creating a cycle of chaos. The magic retaliated by taking from the pair everything it could, draining the Alpha of his power, leeching the omega of his will to live. That is why talking about breaking a match was taboo. Bond breaking was never considered a wise choice unless the pair was powerful enough to endure the wrath of the magic. No matter how powerful, bond breaking would cripple wolves in one way or another for rest of their lives. Wolves were creatures of magic but the magic didn’t come for free.

Jackson could feel the sparks of magic around him as Mark tightened his hold. It was warm and beautiful, very fuzzy and comfortable but it was also greedy and insatiable. Was it the magic or was it Mark?

He felt his back hit the wall and heard a low growl. Mark freed him then, staring into his eyes intently, breathing puffs of hot air on his face. Jackson, like always, couldn’t hold his gaze and looked away, bunching his own sweatpants to have some control over his nerves.

Mark’s hands trailed up his arms, making goose bumps erupt on his skin and a gasp leave his mouth. He lightly grabbed his biceps and rubbed his nose against his forehead lovingly. It was so gentle and loving that Jackson felt his heart jump with affection.

Then Mark went into a frenzy, giving Jackson no time to brace himself. One minute he was lightly rubbing his nose against his forehead and in the next he was tugging the collar of his t-shirt aside, licking his neck filthily around the mate bite and kissing his neck noisily.

Jackson threw his head back, arching involuntarily, body overcome with immediate and intense pleasure, as the bite came to life like magic. He couldn’t hold back the moan nor the way his fingers tangled in Mark’s hair insistently.

“Feray,” he heard Mark mutter against his shoulder blade before the Alpha grabbed his sides tightly. Then he was on his knees nuzzling into Jackson’s stomach, wrapping his arms around his hips and whining. He thrashed against his stomach, desperately growling.

Jackson still had his fingers in Mark’s hair but having him on his knees like that was both shocking and scary. The elder’s nose was helplessly rubbing against his t-shirt and the whining was only increasing in intensity. He didn’t know what to do until he realized what was happening.

An omega’s scent was the thickest on his neck and his navel and now that Jackson had the mate bite, it was even more enticing on his stomach. Mark wanted to sniff him, more like his wolf did.

Mark looked up at him, the red of his eyes piercing and expression desperate. It was like he didn’t want to stop holding Jackson even for a second but that meant he couldn’t do anything about the t-shirt.

Jackson giggled. He just couldn’t help it. He ran his fingers through the elder’s hair slowly and heard him whine.

“As if your sense of smell is somehow being hindered by a measly t-shirt.”

Mark held him tighter, so tight that he felt like he couldn’t breathe. He had to push at Mark’s arms to loosen his grip.

“Okay, okay, Holy Bay,” Jackson complained shyly. He pulled up his shirt enough for Mark’s nose to touch bare skin.

Mark let out a keen, licking his stomach desperately, his fangs emerging due to how eager he was. His tongue dipped into his navel, making Jackson’s knees wobble at the sensation. He tugged at the Alpha’s hair in desperation but the growl he heard in return was scary.

“Mark,” he called out, trying really hard to get him to snap out of it but it didn’t help. Mark’s claws had come out and they dug into the base of his spine, making him bleed.

“Mark, please,” Jackson tugged at his arms desperately, groaning in pain. That seemed to get his attention. Mark wiped at his lips which were wet with saliva and looked up at Jackson, the red of his eyes gone. His brown eyes stared at Jackson in wonder until he smelled blood and grimaced.

He immediately flipped Jackson over so his stomach was pressed against the wall. He licked at the wound his claws had created and saw it heal instantly. At this point, any contact from Mark made Jackson writhe. Mark’s tongue was unforgiving in the way it trailed from the base of his spine and up, as he got on his feet and heaved, bunching the boy’s t-shirt over his shoulders.

He pressed himself hard against Jackson’s back, grabbed both of his hands and rested them on the wall with their fingers entwined.

Jackson could feel the tell-tale signs of wetness in his pants and it was definitely not a nice feeling. Mark’s arousal pressed against him, making him even more conscious of where it was going. It scared him to think that they were moving so fast but he knew that an Alpha’s instinct to claim and knot was natural. Mark was under a spell and love had nothing to do with it. His heart beat erratically at the thought and he whimpered, tightening his fingers around Mark’s.

Mark’s fingers untangled themselves then, roughly roaming his back in tandem with his desperate moans. His palms were calloused and demanding. Jackson squeaked when his ass was grabbed tightly.

“Mark…” he immediately tried to pry Mark’s hands away but the angle was too uncomfortable. He grabbed at Mark’s wrists but the Alpha’s grip on his cheeks did not weaken.

Mark breathed raggedly against his nape, humming at how he felt. He shrugged Jackson’s hands away forcefully and grabbed him again.

“Please,” Jackson begged, unsure about what. It was like his words had no impact on Mark whatsoever. He felt the Alpha’s teeth at the base of his nape and froze. Mark let go of his ass but stayed close to him, pressed against his back, holding his skin between his teeth as if it was completely normal. He rested his hands on his hips, thumbs lightly rubbing against his skin, making Jackson huff at the sensation. They continued to stay there, strong and intent until Jackson was slowly turned around, face to face with his Alpha.

This was too much closeness. Jackson could count Mark’s lashes if he wanted to. The tips of their noses were almost touching. He couldn’t look at Mark so he lowered his gaze and gulped. Mark’s erection was against his stomach, the wetness of his tip seeping through the thin material of his sweats and transferring to Jackson’s belly. It made Jackson shudder involuntarily.

He could feel Mark’s eyes on him, intently staring at his face. He was sure he looked flushed and nervous with the way Mark was treating him. It was so embarrassing.

“Pretty omega,” Mark whispered and the words made Jackson tip his head up in surprise. Mark’s eyes shined red before going back to normal. His mouth was slightly open as he stared at his lips.

“I…”

“Esmeray and I think that you look really pretty,” Mark mumbled, making sure Jackson understood that it was not just his wolf talking.

“T…thanks…” Jackson bit his lip, the shyness taking over his entire composure. He let go of Mark’s wrists and breathed heavily.

“Look at me,” the Alpha muttered. “Why don’t you look at me?” it sounded a lot like a complaint so Jackson looked up. There was no way that Jackson wouldn’t be blown away by how good Mark looked. He gulped and tried really hard to maintain eye contact.

Mark cupped his jaw lightly, the gentleness making Jackson’s heart hurt.

“It’s our wedding night, Jackson,” he said before giving him a small smile. “And here you are, feeding my pack in the middle of the night like it is the most normal thing to do…”

Jackson couldn’t help but smile at that.

“They are my pack too now. Were you upset that I let them in?” he asked carefully, daring to put his own hand over Mark’s.

“No. I just…I wanted to be alone with you…and Boo has been so tough on me all night…and this is all new to me…” his fingers that were splayed on Jackson’s cheek, trembled slightly.

“Sorry,” Jackson melted in that moment because Mark was so genuinely interested in spending time with him.

Mark rested his forehead against his and sighed contentedly. The magic around them was only thickening, crackling and enveloping them eagerly. There was no way they couldn’t feel it.

Jackson couldn’t control himself with Mark so close to him so he whimpered desperately. He wanted to kiss his Alpha, feel his lips against his. He rubbed his nose against Mark’s, knowing full well that he was being too forward. But he wanted to kiss Mark, he really did. He had waited too long for it. Also, he didn’t know if Mark would ever be like this with him again. He didn’t want to waste his chance.

Sensing Jackson leaning in slowly made Mark hum pleasantly. He leaned in too, lightly putting his lips over Jackson’s. The omega’s lips trembled ever so slightly before responding shyly. The kiss was gentle and chaste, with barely any movement from the two. It was more like quick pecks until Mark’s tongue swiped against Jackson’s bottom lip.

Jackson grabbed at his t-shirt and moaned before opening his mouth in invitation and who was Mark to waste an opportunity like that! Mark kissed Jackson like he was air and he needed to breathe him in, take all he could get, relish all that was up for offer. It was hurried and passionate, hot and demanding, so much that Mark moaned into his mouth, filthy and loud before trailing his hands down his torso eagerly. His wolf was taking over and the fight between him and his wolf to remain in control was only driving him crazy.

His fangs had come out and bit into Jackson’s bottom lip, making it bleed and Jackson’s breathing hitched. Blood dripped down his chin and Mark licked it clean, growling into his skin and finally letting him breathe.

“I have to take you to bed,” he whispered against Jackson’s neck, pulling him closer against his body so he could get the friction he so much wanted.

Jackson’s legs gave and Mark picked him up, making him wrap his legs around his waist like it wasn’t the first time he was doing this. Jackson’s arms were around his neck but his face hid in his shoulder blade, too shy to make eye contact and that was the first time Mark thought that shy omegas were such a turn on.

He readjusted the boy in his arms so his erection rubbed against his, making the boy whimper. He climbed the stairs easily as if Jackson didn’t weigh anything at all. The immediate silence that the upper floor offered seemed to make Jackson jumpy so he held onto Mark tightly, feeling weird and scared as they walked towards the bedroom.

“Shh shh, it’s alright, I am here,” Mark’s words of comfort seemed to relax him a tad bit but he refused to show his face even when they finally were inside the bedroom.

“Jackson, get down,” Mark patted his back soothingly but Jackson shook his head against his shoulder. “But how am I supposed to…see you…if you don’t get down. I want to see you, Jackson,” he muttered, desperation clear in his tone, making Jackson’s hesitation go out the window. He got down, right at the edge of the bed, and turned away, too shy to even look at Mark in that moment.

Mark pushed him on the bed, making him land on his stomach, his t-shirt getting raked up in the process. The Alpha pounced on him, tugging at his shirt and successfully took it off in one swift motion.

“MARK!” Jackson yelled as he felt the Alpha’s fingers dip into his waistband. Mark stopped, whining.

Jackson turned around with a lot of effort because Mark was heavy. He hovered above him, eager and impatient, trying really hard to remain in control of his hands and thoughts. Jackson cupped his face and smiled, pulling him in for another kiss. Mark obliged happily, softly kissing Jackson’s full lips while still holding himself up on his palms.

“You smell like a goddamn meal,” Mark bit his chin lightly and went on to kiss his throat, sucking lightly on his Adam’s apple.

“Can I take your clothes off? I need to take your clothes off,” he tugged at Jackson’s sweats, although too slowly, unsure if Jackson would allow him. The omega giggled and looked away. He took that as a good sign and slowly pulled at his sweats. Jackson was left in his boxers, smelling of slick and arousal so strong that Mark thought he was going to come just by his scent.

“Don’t I too get to see you without clothes, Alpha? Why the partiality?” Jackson pouted as he fisted Mark’s t-shirt.

Mark shuffled on his knees, hurriedly took off his shirt and threw it away, staring down at Jackson with a smirk on his face. Jackson’s eyes were wide like saucers after he steadied himself on his elbows and looked at Mark’s torso. He apprehensively touched Mark’s arms and then his chest. He salivated as his hands moved towards his abs which were strong like bricks. He looked down to see Mark’s erection and heaved, eyes shining yellow and a growl escaping his lips.

“Touch,” Mark guided his hand downwards until he was cupping his dick. The elder moaned and Jackson stared at him in wonder. He pulled at the drawstring of the Alpha’ sweats hurriedly and pulled them down slowly along with his boxers, freeing his erection and making him moan loudly.

“My Alpha,” Jackson groaned before pushing Mark, making him lie flat on his back and straddling his thighs. He grabbed at his dick firmly and felt him up quite nicely. Mark was huge, so huge that Jackson’s both hands couldn’t grab him completely. Mark shivered and almost threw Jackson off of him at the sensation. It was clearly evident that Mark had never been touched before. Just the thought of being the first person doing this for Mark made Jackson feel all kinds of things.

“So thick, Mark, so big,” he slowly bent down and nuzzled in Mark’s happy trail, smelling him in like a hungry wolf that he was. His shame had long disappeared. It was so fulfilling to straddle Mark like this and assert his need for him.

“I…” Mark was finding it hard to speak, with Jackson almost naked straddling him and holding his dick, breathing hot puffs of air on it.

“I won’t…last long…hurts…” he managed to complete his sentence. He stared at Jackson who had his chin on his lower stomach and his hands slowly started moving up and down, the gathered pre-cum making a squelching noise with every stroke.

“You will get hard again, won’t you?” Jackson experimentally licked at his tip, making Mark ugly moan. The elder closed his eyes and blindly grabbed at Jackson’s biceps when he felt his tongue circle his slit excruciatingly slowly.

“You taste so good, Alpha, so strong,” Jackson opened his mouth and slowly started taking Mark in, choking very fast even before he was half way through because Mark was just that big.

“Oh…” Mark couldn’t comprehend the feeling. His dick felt alive and Jackson’s mouth was hot and moist, his tongue was flat against his skin and the gagging noise was only making it hotter.

Jackson compensated by grabbing him with his hands because he couldn’t deep throat him, licked leisurely at his tip and went as far as he could, gagging. He was under some charm because he didn’t look shy, he looked so wrecked but hungry for Mark.

Mark had been aroused throughout the night and now that he was being sucked so systematically by his mate, he was quickly reaching his tipping point. He nudged at Jackson’s shoulder to indicate that he was going to cum if Jackson kept on playing with him the way he did but the boy went ahead and fondled his balls and only sucked harder on his tip.

“Thirsty omega,” Mark groaned because he was sure he was going to come down Jackson’s throat really soon. Jackson was insanely flexible to be doing this without much effort, bending so easily to cover his girth like that. It made Mark’s dick throb, the possibility of bending Jackson in different positions while he had his way with him.

He could feel wetness on his knees which confused him for a second until he realized it was Jackson’s slick filled boxers. Just then, Jackson gave him a particularly hard squeeze while sucking on his really hard which made him see stars and come really hard into Jackson’s mouth with a yell, his knees jerking in reaction and displacing Jackson a bit.

Jackson groaned as Mark spilled into his mouth, kept spilling till it started dribbling down his lips obscenely. The taste was pungent and strong, and it burned against his tongue but he swallowed slowly before letting Mark go. His eyes were watering with all the gagging and how his jaw was overworked. But the pleasure he felt when he saw Mark all fucked out and breathing heavily was incomparable to all that his mouth had gone through. They just stared at each other for what seemed like minutes, the rise and fall of Mark’s chest and his own rising heart beat going in tandem. Jackson loved every bit of this visual, to be responsible for bringing this pleasure to Mark. He would love to do it every day if he was allowed.

He must looked wrecked because Mark wiped at his chin and thumbed at his bottom lip before grabbing him by his nape and pulling him up. Jackson went obediently, licking at his lips and wiping at his chin with his fingers to not miss a single drop of Mark’s seed. It was obscene on so many levels but he didn’t care. This was his Alpha and everything about him made Jackson weak in the knees.

Mark licked into his mouth, kissing him with restraint but intent before flipping him over so he was flat on his back.

“You are all wet down there, aren’t you? For me?” he asked against his lips and Jackson didn’t respond.

Mark pushed his hair back and kissed his face sweetly before spreading his legs and situating himself comfortably between them.

“Nobody saw you like this before hmm?” he looked at Jackson splayed on the bed before him, unable to again meet his eyes. He pulled the boy’s legs up so his knees were folded and ran his fingers over Jackson’s inner thigh. The goose bumps on his smooth skin were not easy to miss.

“Nobody?” he asked again. Jackson shook his head, a blush easily creeping on his face and going down as far as his neck.

Mark felt a searing pain go down his body then, making him close his eyes and groan. Then it was gone. He shook his head and opened his eyes. His claws had come out instinctively and punctured Jackson’s thigh. But the boy had already started to heal.

“Sorry,” Mark muttered before licking at the wound and kissing the skin around.

“What do you look like during your heat?” Mark hovered above him.

Jackson bit his lip. There was no way he was telling Mark how he looked. No way!

“Do your thighs get thicker? May be you smell even better? My friend’s omega…he becomes more attractive, produces slick like it’s nobody’s business. What do you look like?” he nuzzled into his neck and started planting little kisses on his shoulder blade.

“I…” Jackson hiccupped as Mark bit his arm before staring into his eyes again.

“You what, Jackson? Tell me,” Mark tweaked his nipple and Jackson writhed, suppressing a loud moan by covering his mouth with his palm.

“Wow,” Mark flicked both his nubs lightly and Jackson arched.

“So cute and sensitive. I have to kiss,” Mark bent down and kissed them. Jackson was weeping.

Mark’s pain came back full force again, making him yelp. Jackson immediately cupped his face.

“What’s wrong?” he asked worriedly and Mark just shook his head. He didn’t know what was wrong. His wolf was too turned on to know too.

Mark rested his forehead on his chest, feeling his energy drain and a dull ache take over his body. What was wrong? He had shut his link down so he had no way of knowing what was going on. Jackson’s scent was intoxicating and his skin was warm and inviting. May be it was because he was so overwhelmed with feelings? May be it was the magic?

He sucked at Jackson’s left nipple, slowly, slurping at it with a child-like noise. He hummed at the sensation. He definitely had a preference, he realized. Jackson seemed to be extremely sensitive there and the reaction made Mark’s dick slowly stir again.

But a splitting pain hit his head again, making him whimper and bite Jackson at the intensity of it. Jackson yelped at the pain and grabbed at his hair with force.

“Something is wrong.” Mark whispered before getting up, leaving Jackson on the bed with a bloody chest. He walked towards the wardrobe and grabbed some clean clothes.

_“Joey?”_

_“ALPHA!”_

_“Is something wrong?”_

_“The Bay's shield has a breach.”_

_“I am on my way.”_

 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mark will not stay put while the Bay is in danger. It will only get worse when he starts blaming Jackson for distracting him. What he doesn't know is that Jackson is the only one who can save the Bay. Watch it all go down sooner than later. Following few chapters are going to be messy.

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know your honest thoughts. You will know better of the dynamics and wolf powers as the story progresses. I didn't want to bombard you with a lot of information at once. I hope you liked this. I know the omega rules are so rudimentary and horrible and it feels like an omega has to always submit or relent but trust me, it will get so much better as the story progresses. You will know the rights of an omega too. I had to do this because this is an AU i took a long time developing. 
> 
> @PrincessWang I hope you liked this.
> 
> Thanks a lot for reading.
> 
> xoxo


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